Geauga County Maple Leaf 6-19-2025

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Vol. 31 No. 25 • Chardon, Ohio www.geaugamapleleaf.com

$1.25

Ohio House Bill Could Cost School $4.3 Million Annually

Chardon Superintendent Warns of Impact

By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com

Chardon Schools Superintendent Mike Hanlon and Treasurer Deb Armbruster appeared before Chardon City Council June 12 with grave concern about Ohio House Bill 335.

One Year In, Young Trustee Makes Impact

By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com

When he was appointed as Chardon Township trustee last year, then 26-year-old Jacob Cimperman stepped into a role he only thought he might hold after retiring.

“To be in my 20s when I found out the board was choosing me, it’s a real blessing I never take for granted because here I am, maybe 30 years ahead of my plan of being able to make that positive impact,” he said.

Though he has only served on

See Cimperman • Page 4

HB 335 has recently been introduced in the state and is billed as property tax relief, Hanlon explained.

“It will have some serious implications for Chardon Schools, really all the school districts across

ing authorities that rely on property taxes as a component of funding they receive to support the services in their particular areas,” he said.

The community has been supportive of Chardon Schools and in return, the district has attempted

See HB 335 • Page 5

Jumbo Bluegill Released In Time for Fishing Derby

By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com

Bob Giardina Lake, formerly Mineral Lake, will have some new, large occupants swimming around in time for the Middlefield Village Cops N Kids Fishing Derby June 21.

The village utilities crew re homed buckets full of huge blue gill at the lake on Sperry Lane, Joe Tucholski told Middlefield Village Council June 12.

Mayor Ben Garlich urged Tucholski, utilities director and

See Bluegill • Page 5

Ohio Auditors Propose Property Tax Relief Plan

Allison Wilson ilson@kArlovecmediA.com

As the demand for property tax relief sweeps Ohio, county auditors from across the state are pushing a plan they believe will satisfy the need.

The proposal — presented in a June 12 press conference at Willoughby City Hall, one of many conferences the County Auditor’s Association of Ohio has spoken at — is four-pronged.

The Need for Relief

The real estate market has been “off the charts,” Montgomery

Property values have grown in response to the real estate market, with the last five years being especially noteworthy, he said.

“In 2023, the statewide average increase in property values was 30%. Here, in the northeast part of the state, it was 34%,” he explained. “It’s something that goes across the state, across Ohio, across the country. The whole nation is dealing with this.”

While multiple pieces of legislation have recently been introduced regarding property tax relief, none have gone anywhere, Keith said. A joint committee on property

lished, but ultimately “did nothing,” leaving the CAAO to take matters into their own hands, he added. CAAO is pushing to expand the homestead exemption program, eliminate the non-business credit and expand owner-occupancy credit, limit the growth and revenue received by school districts due to appraisal changes and create a “menu” of targeted relief, he said.

Homestead Exemption

The homestead exemption allows senior citizens living in their

See Property Tax • Page 6

Seniors Benefit from Ohman’s Pathways to Care page 3

Claridon Hits Brakes on Chardon FD’s Truck Funding page 9

Park District’s Inclusive Experience Program Blossoms page 12

Obituaries page 17

Sheriff’s Sales & Legal Notices pages 20-21

Classifieds page 23

Seniors Benefit from Ohman’s Pathways to Care

By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com

For 60 years, Ohman Family Living at Holly has cared for seniors with a variety of debilitating neurological diseases, but the assisted living and memory care facility in Newbury Township is not resting on its laurels.

Instead, the third generation of Geauga County’s Ohman family is introducing three programs to help seniors continue to function as they age in the facility formerly known as Holly Hill.

Pedaling for Parkinson’s

Under the umbrella Pathways to Care, the Ohman family introduced a Pedaling for Parkinson’s program, said Joshua Wallace.

Joshua, part of the OFL executive leadership team and husband of Kristin Ohman Wallace, explained the systems Holly has instituted at 10190 Fairmount Road during a recent interview.

The programs for Holly residents and those living in the community harken back to Holly’s origins.

George Ohman Jr., co-president at OFL, recalled his father and mother, George Sr. and Joan, founded Holly Hill to care for a family member with multiple sclerosis.

By 1995, they had eight other residents at the property and, as the popularity of the facility grew, it served several Ohman family members with neurological diseases, George said.

“The second generation has family members with Parkinson’s disease. The Ohmans have always desired to extend to others with like circumstances what they have learned, to improve the quality of life for people with PD,” Joshua said.

That is why the family, upon learning about the benefits of Pedaling for Parkinson’s for people living with the disease, sought out the program created by Dr. Jay Alberts at the Cleveland Clinic.

The clinic outfitted a room at Holly with seven stationary bikes — six for participants and one for the monitor, Joshua said.

The program provides people with Parkinson’s a chance to reduce their global motor symptoms, with an average improvement of about 35%, according to a flier explaining the program.

“With early identification of neurological symptoms, the cycling program provides a regimen for participants to improve the overall quality of life and curb their downward decline,” Joshua said.

Dawn Damante, director of market relations for OFL based in Middlefield Village, said the classes are engaging, the environment friendly and regulars have created an informal support group.

“One lady has pedaled more than 1,000 miles in about two years. She comes in three times a week and it has helped her significantly,” Damante said, noting the OFL website contains testimony by a client about the benefits of the program.

Individuals recently diagnosed with PD, or those with early onset of pre-Parkinsonian symptoms, are encouraged to contact Damante at 440-632-3653 and sign up, she said.

Pedaling for Parkinsons’ classes are held every day and open biking can be arranged in the afternoons. Developed by a non-profit organization, the program is not a cure, but it helps relieve symptoms, improves fitness and helps individuals maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, according to the brochure.

Adult Day Care Solution

Spouses or adult children are often challenged by the demands of taking care of seniors with neurological diseases.

Aware of the need for respite for the families, OFL at Holly welcomes individuals with Alzheimer's disease into a supervised, homelike setting at The Cottage, just down the hill from OFL at Holly.

“The Cottage was my wife’s childhood home,” Joshua said during a tour through the pleasant, spacious, single-story building. “We provide comfort, relaxation and engagement for our clients.”

When the care provider at home has to be away during the day or needs respite, the staff at The Cottage offers help in a lovely setting, George said.

Besides enjoying a continental breakfast and lunch, individuals staying a full day can take a virtual tour or armchair travel to distant places.

“I think they ‘went’ to Ireland and Scotland recently,” George said, adding they also watch sporting events on the television.

“These are things that stimulate them during the day,” he said.

Cognitive games and a book reading club occupy those who are not ready for assisted living or medical care, George said.

The video clip on the website introduces Jo Slunski, the adult day care program director, explaining individuals with early onset neurological diseases can enjoy The Cottage from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Activities include exercise classes, cooking, a detached three-seasons room where clients can get some fresh air and sun, and a space for napping when needed, Slunski said.

Fall Study Participants Sought

OFL at Holly is also partnering with Alberts’ lab at the Cleveland Clinic in a study to improve the prediction of fall risk among individuals age 55 and up, Joshua said.

A call for 200 volunteers for the study was issued by Cleveland Clinic, he said.

It reads: “The purpose of this study is to characterize mobility patterns in older adults and to evaluate mobility assessments for their ability to predict fall risk in adults.

“Participants will be asked to attend a one-hour study visit to provide demographic information and complete balance, cognitive and walking assessments. Participants will also maintain a falls diary for 12 months.

“You must be 62 or older, able to walk independently or with a cane, be able to climb three steps, and can’t have dementia or a neurological disease such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis or a history of stroke. You will receive study stipends for participation. You will not receive individual fall risk data.”

“Falls are one of the leading causes for

hospitalizations,” Joshua said. “Its benefit is, if we can identify potential risk factors, we can hopefully avoid a major injury or a hospitalization. Nobody wants to get the phone call that mom or dad has fallen and is in hospital.”

The safe-gait equipment uses infrared sensors to analyze the participants’ speed and degree of unsteadiness and determine a person's likelihood of falling so safety measures can be taken, Joshua said.

“What a great opportunity to be on the cutting edge of technology,” he said. “It’s a simple and practical way to enhance people’s quality of life,”

Anyone interested in participating in the study may contact MacKenzie Dunlap at 216216-3949 or at Dunlapm4@ccf.org.

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Community Meetings

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 440285-2015 or email editor@karlovecmedia.com no later than Monday noon. These meeting notices are NOT legal notices.

Geauga County: June 24, 9:30 a.m., Geauga County Commissioners; June 25, 9 a.m., Board of Revision, Auditor’s Appraisal Conference Room. All county meetings are held at the Geauga County Administrative Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive (Ste. #), Claridon, unless otherwise noted. County commissioners meetings are held in Suite 350.

Auburn Township: June 26, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Administration Building, 11010 Washington St., unless otherwise indicated.

Bainbridge Township: June 19, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals, at the Centerville Mills Park Dining Hall, 8558 Crackel Road; June 23, 5:30 p.m. – Board of Trustees, special work session, 7 p.m. – Board of Trustees, at the Bainbridge Service Department, 17800

Cimperman

from page 1

the board for a year, Cimperman has already accomplished many of the objectives he had in mind when taking office.

He was appointed last June following the death of long-time Trustee Chuck Strazinski, leaving big boots to fill.

Hailing from the Eastside suburbs and having attended high school in Geauga County, Cimperman is familiar with the area he now helps govern.

“I’ve been driving these roads and passing streets when I was a teenager going to high school. It’s kind of surreal to now be helping to pave the roads and streets,” he said.

Despite the large legacy he is following, Cimperman is happy to be in a role where he can make a positive impact.

“I applied because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Local government’s a passion of mine,” he said.

Coming into the trustee role, Cimperman said modernizing aspects of the township was his priority.

He is most proud of the township welcome signs, which should be posted this fall or next spring, he said.

“Everywhere you drive around and you’re greeted by something that tells you where you are in an attractive, appeasing way that makes you feel welcome. That was lacking here,” he said.

The township partnered with Notre-Dame Cathedral Latin — Cimperman’s alma mater — and selected a design for the signs from student submissions.

The township website was also updated, Cimperman said.

“We had a website that was from maybe a

Haskins Road; June 24, 6 p.m., Zoning Commission, at the Centerville Mills Park Dining Hall, 8558 Crackel Road.

Burton Village: June 19, 7 p.m., Burton Public Library Board of Trustees; June 20, 5 p.m., Village Council, special meeting at Village Park Gazebo, 14590 East Park St.; June 24, 7 p.m., Board of Public Affairs. All meetings are held at 14588 W. Park St., 2nd Floor, unless otherwise noted.

Chardon City: June 24, 6:30 p.m., Planning Commission. All meetings are held at the Municipal Center, 111 Water St., unless otherwise noted.

Chester Township: June 19, 7 a.m., Board of Trustees, special meeting to discuss 2026 Budget and Temporary Appropriations; June 26, 5:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Claridon Township: June 23, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission, at Claridon Town Hall, 13930 Mayfield Road.

Montville Township: June 25, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals; June 26, 7:30 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Montville Community Center, 9755 Madi-

decade or two ago. It worked, partly. You got enough of the information you needed out of it. But, now we have something that’s nice to look at, you can search things and they’ll come up,” he said. “It’s just more convenient and accessible and I think that’s what we should be doing here is making sure people are able to get the service they need in a timely and efficient manner.”

The township is also working on publishing a newsletter, Cimperman said.

“The newsletter’s a way for us to get the message out there for those that are busy with their kids after school, they’re busy with their jobs, they’re busy with just life as is,” he said.

Cimperman described his first year as exciting.

“My background is politics and government,” he said. “But, just as helping a congressman or a secretary of state or a state representative, to be in the position now where I am equal in that part of public service where I can make those changes and hopefully have a positive impact, it’s been very exciting to be a part of it.”

Recent township highlights include the passing of a road levy for the first time in two decades that allows the township to repave five roads this year and the recent allocation of a grant for a trail in the township park.

“When I joined, I had three, four main ideas. We’ve already got those rolling, whether it be the website, the welcome signs, the newsletter. I’m trying to think of what more I can do while still being fiscally conservative with taxpayer dollars,” Cimperman said.

With the road levy lasting five years, that is likely to be a major focus for the future, he said.

“Hopefully, after those five years, (residents) see the success of the roads we were able to pave — which after five years, will be a

son Road, unless noted.

Munson Township: June 24, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees; June 26, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees, special meeting for the Land Use Planning Committee. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12210 Auburn Road, unless otherwise noted.

Newbury Township: June 25, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 14899 Auburn Road, unless otherwise noted.

Parkman Township: June 24, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Community House, 16295 Main Market Road, unless otherwise noted.

Russell Township: June 25, 6 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Cardinal BOE: June 25, 6:30 p.m., meeting/ work session. All meetings are held at BOE Office, 15982 E. High St., Middlefield, unless otherwise indicated.

West Geauga BOE: June 23, 7 p.m., regular meeting. All meetings are held at the BOE Community Room, 8615 Cedar Road, unless otherwise noted.

pretty good number — and then we’d love to extend it five more years and continue putting down new asphalt,” he said.

Despite his political background, Cimperman said he still has a lot to learn.

“Local government is down to the nitty-gritty. We’re the most accessible. You can’t just walk into the White House,” he said. “We’d love to have you at the town hall on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.”

Cimperman holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from West Virginia University, as well as dual minors in Spanish and sociology, and has a self-described passion for international affairs, having previously served on a United States Department of State fellowship to India.

He has always enjoyed learning and government covers many of the subjects he’s interested in.

“They make bills about business and healthcare and regulations,” he said. “So, to be able to be involved in all these different interests of mine is the perfect world for that.”

Looking ahead, Cimperman would like to see more residents attend township meetings.

“You really do have an impact when you’re sitting here,” he said. “We’ve had people here whose background was woodworking, so we’re talking about a table, or they’re a landscaper and we’re talking about trees.”

Just as much as the trustees have their own unique backgrounds and specialities, residents do as well and can bring that knowledge to the board, he said.

Government is not boring, he emphasized — it is how you have an impact on your community’s lives.

“We’re trying to just be more active and accessible,” Cimperman said. “I think the residents who come here realize it’s a pretty welcoming environment.”

HB 335

and have stretched resources as far as possible, Hanlon said.

“(HB 335) captures some of the other tax reform legislation that is being proposed right now either through the budget bill or independently,” Hanlon said. “There are over a dozen pieces of property tax reform legislation that are making their way through the legislature at this time.”

Per the presentation, language in HB 335 includes language from House Bill 129, House Bill 186 and House Bill 309.

HB 335 removes the ability of schools, villages and cities to levy current inside millage, Hanlon explained.

“Essentially, it eliminates inside millage,” he said. “The bill as drafted would allow townships to keep their current inside millage as they have no other taxing authority.”

If approved, HB 335 would mean an annual reduction of $4.3 million in property tax revenue to the school district, Hanlon said.

To the city, it would be an annual reduction of $624,000, he added.

Armbruster compared the actual May 2025 financial forecast with a hypothetical one adjusted for HB 335.

She said 68% of the district’s revenue comes from property tax of some sort, 22% from the state and 10% from other revenue and noted 10% is high because of interest and is projected to come down.

Per her presentation, of the 68%, 61.73% is from real estate tax.

“Our property taxes are pretty flat. We have a very small increase in inside (millage),” she explained. “Because of House Bill 920, as property values go up, the tax rates come down, where you pay pretty much the same amount as you did before, except for that inside millage.”

In the simulation, total revenue drops by about 10%, Armbruster said, noting a 14% decrease in tax revenue.

“We would have to cut our expenses by 21.83% to balance our budget,” she said.

That would mean a cut of 20 teachers by

Bluegill from page 1

police chief, to tell his fish story at the council meeting.

Almost a year ago, Tucholski and his utilities crew were seeking a solution to a growing problem at the wastewater treatment plant, he said.

“We had an issue with daphnia,” Tucholski said, adding the small bugs had overrun the plant clarifier, creating high levels of bacteria.

The clarifier is the final step in the treatment process and the bacteria made it hard to keep the equipment clean, he said.

Water and wastewater plant manager Mike Cipolla read that the village could add minnows and bluegill to the clarifier to eat the daphnia, Tucholski said.

They released about 170 bluegill with six pounds of small fathead minnows into clarifier number one in August with several goals in mind, Cipolla explained in a follow-up email.

One goal of the experiment was to see if the new chemical — FX300 — being used to remove phosphorus had any effect on aquatic life, he said.

Tucholski and the crew also were curious to see if the bluegill and minnows would eat

forecast

2028 and another hundred by 2029, she said, emphasizing that is an example and not an action the school would actually take.

“By way of background, I’ve been integrally working on school funding in the state of Ohio for eight years now as part of the Fair School Funding workgroup, regularly involved with legislators on school funding issues. I understand that property tax reform is something we need to take a look at,” Hanlon said. “But, what (HB) 335 does is essentially cuts out the main source of support for school districts without providing a suitable replacement or alternative for those other than saying, ‘You need to go find other sources of revenue.’”

Voters would have to approve an income tax to make up the revenue, which is not guaranteed, he said.

Chardon Schools is not at the 20-mill floor, meaning the millage rates for existing tax levies are reduced to generate the same revenue they did before the 2023 reappraisal, Hanlon said.

“It’s not a matter of, my property values went up by 26% so my taxes went up by 26%,”

the daphnia, a.k.a. water fleas, as the article Cipolla read claimed, he said.

Finally, they wanted to reduce the amount of chlorine being used to kill the water bugs and save some money in the process, he said.

“We know that they accomplished all three of these goals with a large number of (the fish and minnows) making it through the winter,” Cipolla said. “As a bonus, we have noticed they have also consumed the filter fly (midges) larvae and greatly reduced the amount of flies in the filter room.”

And, they have grown to an unexpected size, Cipolla said, adding some may be a record.

The crew captured dozens of bluegill and as many of the minnows as possible while taking the clarifier down for servicing and plans to release them into the lake for recreational fishing.

Cipolla proposed adding more bluegill and minnows to clarifier number two this year as the experiment proved to be successful.

Some of the bluegill ate so well, they weighed in at 2.5 pounds, Tucholski said.

“They are monsters,” he told council. “So, if you see big bluegill in the lake, you’ll know where they came from.”

The Middlefield Village website shows the Cops N Kids Fishing Derby begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. June 21. Fishing will be catch and release.

he said, adding the only inflationary increase had been to the 4.5 mills of inside millage.

The school has since eliminated all fees to students, returning approximately $1.3 million to taxpayers, he said.

As the state budget bill is slated to enter conference committee, there is concern a bill like this may get rolled into it as a method to resolve differences between the house and Ohio Senate, Hanlon noted.

The Chardon Schools Board of Education will be considering a resolution June 23 opposing the bill, Hanlon said, asking the city to consider doing the same.

“As I sit here today, without more data

and information on how to replace those funds, I can’t support this measure in any way, shape or form,” Chardon Mayor Chris Grau said.

As the city has multiple special meetings coming up, they may be able to pass a resolution quickly, he noted.

School board member Todd Albright encouraged people to contact Gov. Mike DeWine and ask him to veto bills like these.

“Education is like a huge ship, it’s hard to turn and once it starts to turn, it’s hard to stop,” he said. “The problems are going to be collateral and really, frankly, possibly generational in the direction things are going.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO GEAUGA COUNTY TAXPAYERS PAYMENT

OF REAL ESTATE TAXES

Last Day for Payment of Second Half of 2024 REAL ESTATE TAX IS July 9, 2025

Notice is hereby given the Treasurer’s books for the Second Half 2024 real property tax collection are now open for payment and will close for the second half on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. In accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, second half taxes paid (or postmarked in the case of mail payments) after July 9, 2025 will accrue a 10% penalty.

Further, it is the property owner’s responsibility to notify this office in writing when an address is changed or when a mortgage is paid or sold to another company in order that the tax bill is sent to the correct address.

Every effort is made to see that you receive your tax bills; however, the Ohio Revised Code provides the property owner is responsible for payments even if you did not receive your bill. Please call us if you have not received a tax bill unless you have made previous arrangements with a financial institution to pay them.

FAILURE TO RECEIVE A TAX BILL WILL NOT AVOID A PENALTY.

Military Reservists and National Guard members who are called to active duty may defer payment of their real estate taxes until six months after their tour of duty ends. Spouses and/or dependent parents may also be eligible for this tax deferment.

Taxes may be paid at the Treasurer’s office located in The Opera House, 211 Main Street, Suite 1A, Chardon, OH 44024. A drop box has also been installed near the entrance for your convenience. Payments placed in the drop box on the last day of collection will be collected and posted the next day. Payments received in the drop box on Thursday, July 10, 2025 will be considered late and penalties will apply.

Regular Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Checks should be made payable to: Geauga County Treasurer.

Christopher P. Hitchcock Treasurer, Geauga Couty Phone: 440-279-2000

FGP Hike-A-Thon Makes Every Mile Matter

Geauga County trail-lovers can turn their outdoor mileage into meaningful impact this summer through the Foundation for Geauga Park’s Hike-A-Thon, where every step, jog, pedal or gallop helps preserve Geauga parks.

Property Tax

from page 1

home to shield a part of their home from taxation, resulting in a credit on their real estate tax bill, Lake County Auditor Chris Galloway explained.

As costs in the real estate market and property valuations have increased, the value of that credit has reduced, he said.

“Seniors are getting hammered from both ends,” he said. “Their value in their taxes are going up and at the same time, their credit for their homestead is going down,”

In 2012, homestead exemption was tied to income in order to balance the state budget, Galloway said.

Prior to 2012, someone only had to be 65 to qualify. After the change, someone had to make $40,000 or below in income, he said.

“That took out a large segment of folks who immediately did not become eligible for the credit,” Galloway said.

The association is pushing to increase the amount credit shields on property value or increasing the income qualifier, he said.

These proposed changes are of significant interest to the Geauga County Department

on Aging, Director Jessica Boalt said June 16.

People 60 and older make up 30.3% of Geauga County’s population, Boalt said, adding as rising property taxes disproportionately impact seniors on fixed income, the effect is substantial.

“This would be a crucial step toward supporting aging in place — helping seniors remain in their homes and communities, which is vital for their health, safety and quality of life,” she said. “These changes would modernize the program to reflect current economic realities, including inflation and rising property values.”

The 20-Mill Floor

Ohio’s General Assembly created the 20mill floor in the 1970s to give public schools a minimum level of funding, Union County Auditor Andrea Weaver explained.

“The way it works is it basically adjusts those general fund levies, which is inside millage that they are assigned,” she said. “Part of the calculation includes inside millage and then the other, operating levies that district may have.”

Levy rates are readjusted every year as property values constantly change, she said.

“(The Hike-A-Thon helps) fundraise to protect the parks, trails and preserves that make Geauga County special,” the foundation said on its

The program runs from June 15

Basic registration for the Hika-A-Thon costs $15, however, the “Pacesetter” package, which includes a T-shirt and collectible pin costs $40, according to the website.

Both registration packages offer an online mileage tracker, local coupons and downloadable trail maps. People can register up until July 31, the last day of the program, accord-

Participants can hike, run, bike or even

“If that change in rate drops down below that minimum 20-mills, then the department of taxation kicks each one of those other levies … up just a smidge so … they (add) back up to just 20,” Weaver said. “That makes sure that district gets 20 mills, even if the value increases that district experienced forced those fixed-rate levies to be readjusted according to Ohio law.”

Current law allows for “an almost one-forone tax increase if a school is already at that floor,” she said, adding the auditor’s association suggests a ceiling.

“You could reduce that increase to the point of inflation. (If) you’ve got a 34% increase in value in your school district as result of value change, instead of that school seeing that large of an increase, it would be adjusted to only seeing whatever their current inflation rate is,” Weaver said.

This would still allow for growth in revenue, but not an egregious amount, she said.

Geauga County school districts have varied opinions about the proposal.

Chardon Schools would not be impacted by the proposal at this time, as it is not at the 20-mill floor, Superintendent Mike Hanlon and Treasurer Deb Armbruster said.

Were the district’s effective millage rate dropped to the 20-mill floor, there would be an impact through the elimination of revenue, but that impact is not possible to estimate, they said.

The duo believes property tax adjustments are necessary and must be done incrementally for schools to adapt to revenue reductions.

Berkshire Schools, however, is at the 20mill floor, so it would be impacted.

“A policy change that caps revenue growth to inflation would severely limit our district's

ride on horseback throughout any of the Geauga parks or preserves. Those of any age and skill-level are asked to participate in the event, as well as pets, the FGP said.

Participants are encouraged to fundraise for the parks through a personal race webpage, which goes toward preserving rare habitats, supporting outdoor education programs and enhancing trails and park experiences, according to the website.

So far, $2,955 has been raised through the Hike-A-Thon this summer for the foundation, it said.

Hikers can post selfies with the tag #FGPHikeathon on Facebook or Instagram to be entered for a chance to win prizes valued at over $100. Every tagged selfie is considered an entry into a drawing, according to FGP.

“Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just looking for a fun reason to hit the trail, every step you take helps fund the natural spaces that make our community special,” the foundation said on its website.

For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/hikeathonregister.

ability to respond to cost increases, unexpected needs or state funding instability,” said Superintendent John Stoddard. “The proposed cap would restrict local flexibility, shifting more burden back onto the state or ultimately forcing reductions in services to students.”

Stoddard encouraged collaboration with districts, rather than applying a change to them.

“If the legislature is concerned about local tax burdens, the solution should include a broader discussion about the equity and adequacy of Ohio’s school funding model overall,” he said. “Targeting the limited financial tools available to districts like ours, which are already at the floor, risks undermining the very local control and accountability that Ohio law is supposed to uphold.”

Owner-Occupancy Credit and Targeted Relief

The owner-occupancy credit is a 2.5% credit every owner-occupancy home receives that has not been adjusted since its establishment in the 1970s, Keith explained.

“That should have been adjusted long ago, should have been tied to inflation long ago,” he said. “That’s one thing we think is a no-brainer, to re-establish the 10% credit on owner-occupancy property.”

These are things that would make a difference to most homeowners and could provide immediate relief, Keith said.

Auditors are seeking targeted relief because what works best in one community may not serve another, he said.

“Some of our auditors would favor doing income tax credit, or tax deferrals,” he said. “What they want is to have the legislature give us the authority or the tools to do those things that work in our own communities.”

Chester Artist Turns Bedtime Stories into Children’s Book

By emmA mAcniven mAcniven@kArlovecmediA com

Chester Township resident Antonino Gi annetto, who used to regale his children each night with bedtime stories he made up, re cently decided to turn them into published books.

Now, his children read them to their chil dren.

His first children's book, "How the Hum mingbird Got Its Colors," was released on Amazon and in Barnes and Noble last month in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Giannetto, an artist since age 6, did both the writing and illustrations for the book, he said in a June 6 interview.

He draws every day and uses a variety of mediums for his art, including pastels, oil paint and glass monoprints, he said, adding he won first place in a Gates Mills art show this spring for his piece, “The 12 Faces of Jesus.”

Giannetto, who has lived in Chester for 20 years, graduated from Lake Catholic High School in Mentor and the Columbus College of Art and Design.

His recently-published book is about a hummingbird overcoming obstacles, he said.

“Darkness overtakes the land as Owl convenes a meeting of all the birds to see who will fly up past the clouds to see if the sun

still exists,” the book description said. “The little hummingbird is an unlikely hero to soothe the fears of all the birds, as the sun had seemingly disappeared forever.”

Giannetto wanted to convey to children that anything is possible, even if they are “too

young” in the story.

“(The theme is) no matter if you're perceived as being inconsequential or insignificant or not what people perceive you to be, you could achieve great things,” he said. “For little kids, I think that would be something

that maybe they could relate to because people tell them, ‘they can't do this or can't do that,’ or ‘they're not pretty enough or strong enough’ or whatever (and) the character of the hummingbird overcame all of that (in the story).”

Giannetto also wanted to show children how beneficial it is to slow down and take time to observe their surroundings through reading, he said.

The book also aims to provide children with a faith-based outlook, he said.

“I feel it's a bit of a faith-based book because I’m referencing the beauty of God's creation (with the birds in the story),” Giannetto added.

His writing process is simple.

“I'll have an idea and then I just — it's a stream of thought, I just kind of keep writing,” he said.

When writing stories, Giannetto has also sometimes taken on a different perspective.

“As a writer, it's not always about your experience itself,” he said. “Yes, you kind of (put) yourself in other people's shoes and (see) their perspective.”

Giannetto is in the process of working on three other children’s books, including a longer chapter book, which he said is his best work.

He will host a book signing July 6 at Fireside Book Shop in Chagrin Falls from 1 to 3 p.m.

Multi-County Cyber Attack Sparks Wi-Fi Policy Change

By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com

In response to a statewide cybersecurity attack in late May and early June, the Geauga Automatic Data Processing board has changed public Wi-Fi policies for county employees, ADP Chief Deputy Ad ministrator Frank Antenucci said June 11.

A May 27 email from ADP to county IT stakeholders marked the start of a long chain of replies, each detailing a new county that had been compromised.

“Today, we received a critical phishing alert from one of our team members regarding an invoice email originating from belmontcountyengineer[.] com,” Antenucci said in an email. “Thanks to her prompt action in identifying and report ing this suspicious email, we swiftly initiated an investigation.”

tion list, placing numerous government entities at significant risk,” he said, adding his thanks to Geauga County Commissioners clerk Christine Blair, who reported the original attempt.

Breach Spreads Across State

The compromise extended farther than the Belmont County Engineer’s Office, Antenucci confirmed in a reply June 5.

“We have received official confirmation from the County Engineers Association of Ohio that their domain has also been compromised,” he said, relaying a communication from the association about an employee’s email being hacked and sending out fake invoices.

Multiple Geauga County users had machines compromised in the attack, Antenucci said, noting the entire Belmont domain may also be compromised, as well.

The situation worsened from there, with attacks identified from the Coshocton County domain, Antenucci updated June 6.

“This alarming situation appears to be spreading statewide via the CEAO distribu-

“Coupled with our advanced endpoint protection software, CrowdStrike, her proactive response significantly mitigated potential damage,” Antenucci said. “Without these safeguards and quick actions, Geauga County could be experiencing the severe consequences that other counties are currently enduring.”

Having spent extensive time engaged with IT directors and public officials across the county, Antenucci said it was becoming increasingly clear to him how uniquely prepared Geauga has been to face threats like these.

“It has never been more evident to me than this year how close of a partnership we (IT stakeholders) all have,” he said. “It is evident when speaking to representatives from other counties that they envy our proactive collaboration, strong cybersecurity posture and the exceptional dedication of our coworkers.”

Antenucci said all potentially compromised counties have been blocked from communicating with Geauga County’s network.

“In our zero trust cybersecurity posture, any domain associated with or affiliated to a known compromised domain is subject to immediate precautionary blocking,” he explained June 9. “This ensures containment and limits the risk of lateral movement of threats into Geauga County systems. Our practice is to apply broad domain blocks as a first-line defense and then refine those blocks as intelligence becomes clearer and more granular.”

Belmont County, CEAO, Stark County, Seneca County, Ashtabula County, Mercer County, Noble County, Coshocton County

and Wayne County all reported varying levels of compromise, he later said.

The How of It

Antenucci provided an update June 11 as to how the breach happened.

“Our cybersecurity team has medium confidence that the origin of this multi-county breach was an unsecured public Wi-Fi network used during a recent conference attended by members of the CEAO and Belmont County staff,” he said. “Attackers likely intercepted official login credentials over this public Wi-Fi and used them to infiltrate various county systems.”

Unsecured public Wi-Fi networks are a “high-risk vector” for cyberattacks, he said, detailing the possible methods the attackers could have used in this case, those being

man-in-the-middle, evil twin networks and packet sniffing.

In a man-in-the-middle attack, attackers capture usernames, passwords and session information in real time without the user’s knowledge by positioning themselves between the user’s device and the internet to intercept transmitted data, Antenucci explained.

Evil twin networks are fake Wi-Fi networks mimicking the real ones of venues — like coffee shops and hotels — that record the internet activity of users, while packet sniffing involves attackers monitoring unencrypted data over a network, such as login information, he said.

In this attack, once someone’s credentials were obtained, the attackers were able to send phishing emails containing malicious

Council Votes to Annex Land, Discusses Re-Zoning

By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com

Middlefield Village Council moved the development of Heritage Pointe one step closer to reality June 12 by voting unanimously to annex 64.7 acres of open land from Middlefield Township.

In April, Lake Avenue Land Partners LTD presented plans to the Middlefield Village Planning and Zoning Commission to build more than 200 homes on two parcels south of the Walmart Superstore at 15050 Herrington Drive, including an adjacent 14.49-acre parcel already in the village. Meadowlake Properties LLC owns both parcels.

During the April meeting, developer Joe Svete asked the commission to recommend to council rezoning the 64.7-acre parcel from residential housing to residential planned unit development, allowing high-density development there, once it is annexed and all permits are received.

Annexed land automatically comes into the village as R-1, single family housing, which requires larger lot sizes. The smaller parcel is zoned for R-1, as is a third, 0.97-acre parcel on Lake Avenue.

Following the annexation ordinance last Thursday, council held a public hearing to discuss a separate ordinance to rezone the larger parcel and the adjacent 14.49-acre parcel to R-PUD.

Linda Smallwood, who lives on Lake Avenue with her husband, Phillip, asked that council not rezone the entire 14.49-acre lot to R-PUD.

“I’m here to ask that the two parcels on Lake Avenue remain R-1 so it doesn’t become spot zoning and to protect the homes already there,” she said. “It’s not fair to the residents living there. They expect to be protected by zoning.”

The site plans presented by Svete show ingress and egress for Heritage Pointe off Lake Avenue with seven R-PUD lots lining it.

Smallwood, who said last Thursday she was representing other Lake Avenue residents, noted the entrance to the development would look “...a whole lot better if homes weren’t crammed in.”

“The site plan will not be approved for another month,” said Mayor Ben Garlich, adding he will talk to Svete about the Lake Avenue residents’ concerns.

On June 13, Smallwood said in a follow-up phone call she would like to see the seven lots planned for the entrance off Lake combined to create two R-1 lots, one on either side of the entrance road, adding she is not proposing a site plan change to the entire 14.49-acre parcel.

Several buildings on those Lake Avenue parcels were eliminated recently by a joint training event held by the Middlefield Fire Department and the Geauga County Fire Investigation Unit, according to MFD Lt. Ben

Reed, who attended last Thursday’s meeting.

“We set four different fires four different ways. The FIU came out and did investigations on each simulation,” he said.

Firefighters set an electrical fire, a couch fire and two fires using accelerants an arsonist would use.

“One of the State Fire Marshal’s inves-

tigators brought his accelerant dog out (and the dog) was able to discover the accelerants quickly. It was a great training,” Reed said.

In other business last Thursday, council authorized the village administrator to apply for a water supply revolving loan account agreement to plan, design and build water facilities. Garlich said the loan is for $2.4 million.

Pickleball Surge Spurs Potential New Courts, Upgrades

By emmA mAcniven mAcniven@kArlovecmediA com

Pickleball — a multi-generational game that’s quickly becoming a community staple — is making waves in Geauga County, with possible new courts in Russell Township and windscreen upgrades and lighting plans in Chester Township.

Russell Explores Adding Pickleball Courts

Sara Sustin, a trustee on the West Geauga Community Joint Recreation District Board came to the June 5 Russell Township Trustees meeting to remind them of her proposal to install pickleball courts in the township.

“We were shooting for two (courts) and it was approximately $50,000 per court … including some lighting, fencing, the pickleball courts, the concrete, the surfacing, the whole package,” Sustin told trustees.

Trustee Kristina Port asked Sustin if there is enough community interest in the project.

“We feel that there is being that they did (it) in Chester (Township) and all three ports are pretty much packed at any time of day,” Sustin replied. “They're not always packedpacked, but there's always people on them. They are always playing.”

She added later, “It's probably the biggest up-and-coming thing, especially for older people.”

There is a possibility WGCJRD could get a grant to reimburse the township for the courts, however, Sustin wasn’t sure how great their chances are of receiving it.

Port later said trustees do not have the funding for the courts at this time.

“The trustees have had their budget meetings for 2026 and there are some concerns that would need priority over pickleball court commitment for funds at this time,” she said. “I still have to meet with the fiscal officer about budget revisions this week, so at this time, no money for pickleball courts, yet this can be revisited after a better analysis of funding for 2026 budget is assessed and reviewed.”

Chester Township’s Court Upgrades

While Chester Township already has Pickleball courts at the Commons Park, Barry Leven, of the West Geauga Pickleball group, approached Chester Township Trustees June 13 to get their approval for windscreens at the courts.

The windscreen will help curb the wind, but also sun glare on cars, and will cut down

on court noise, traffic noise and provide an opaque background, Leven said.

Trustees decided to approve the polyethylene supershade windscreen Leven recommended at the cost of $1,438, for which the West Geauga pickleball group will reimburse the township.

This type of windscreen can stay up in negative 20 degrees and can stay up during the wintertime, Leven added.

“So, we have the money, you give me the okay and I'll order them and we'll put them up,” he said, later adding they’d arrive in three weeks.

The group is in the process of gathering funds for lighting at the courts, which Leven said will cost around $34,000.

Also during the meeting, township Administrator Mark Purchase brought landscape renderings from the Chester Township Park Board for the pickleball courts, which the board thinks should be prioritized over the windscreens.

“We got money already that we've got raised towards lighting,” Leven told the board. “We are nowhere near enough yet, but we do, and personally, I don't think you want to do any expensive landscaping until the lights are out (there).”

The park board has issues with erosion around the courts, Trustee Ken Radtke said.

“Why delay the windscreens in order to accomplish the landscape,” he said, adding the number for landscaping would be around $45,000.

Trustees are hoping a representative from the park board can come to the next trustees meeting to discuss the landscaping project, respectively.

Tewksbury Lane Project Grinds to a Halt

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The paving of Tewksbury Lane in Claridon Township ground to a halt last week while township trustees, the Geauga County Engineer’s office and Ronyak Bros. Paving, of Burton, decide how to proceed.

Claridon Township Road Supervisor Joe Stenger told trustees June 16 Ronyak’s paving crew discovered parts of the subbase of 0.46-mile-long Tewksbury were failing when they started doing full depth repairs in several locations, he said

“Ronyak stopped completely and notified the county (engineer),” Stenger said.

They found some of the base under the

road surface consisted of clay and small aggregate, put down when the cul-de-sac neighborhood of 10 homes was developed, he said.

Geauga County Engineer Andy Haupt said in a phone interview Tuesday Tewksbury was developed around 1999 and the township has done a great job with maintenance, taking care of crack sealing and minor repairs.

“It’s not bad for a 25-year-old road,” he said, adding “unforeseen conditions,” such as the harsh winter and wet spring, may have made the situation worse.

Also, subbase regulations were less stringent at the time, so the road was not built to today’s standards, Haupt said.

“Everybodys working together for an

acceptable outcome that’s not a misuse of taxpayers’ funds,” he said, noting his department is working closely with the township and contractor.

“The partnership is in place and operating,” he said.

Ronyak won the bid for the repaving project for a cost of about $195,000, which included work on several areas needing full depth repair, indicated by three core samples taken before bids were let, Haupt said.

Further investigation and an on-site meeting with Stenger, the engineer and Ronyak’ s representative led to several options, Stenger said.

A full mechanical base stabilization would cost an estimated $130,000 extra, according

to Ronyak’s quote.

However, a stabilization of some sections may only cost roughly $20,000, Haupt said.

Claridon Township Trustee Jonathan Tiber said numbers are still being crunched, but the township budget will not stretch to the full treatment.

“We need a little more detail,” he said, adding he has urged Haupt to establish a policy that would utilize new technology to evaluate the foundations of roads more thoroughly before designing the project and drawing up bid specifications to advertise jobs.

Trustees passed a resolution Monday to make up to $60,000 in additional funds available for the project.

Claridon Hits Brakes on Chardon FD’s Truck Funding

Potential Second Grant Could Save the Day

By Ann WishArt And Allison Wilson

Claridon Township Trustees received unexpected, unwelcome news from Chardon Fire Chief Justin Geiss at the June 2 trustees meeting.

Chardon Fire Department, contracted to provide fire protection for the western part of the township, needs a new ladder truck and wants Claridon Township to help pay for it, said Trustee Jonathan Tiber in a phone interview that evening.

He expressed concerns about the township’s ability to help fund the truck and, in followup conversations, said he is uncertain if the township can legally contribute to purchasing a vehicle it does not own.

Tiber also said Claridon voters may have to pass a small levy to cover the township’s share, if the contribution is found to be legal.

During a Chardon City Council meeting June 12, Geiss explained how the funding dilemma arose.

Besides the $2.2 million price tag on a new truck and the three-year wait for delivery, the city, which owns the current ladder truck, is asking that the fire department own the new one, Geiss said.

“The ladder truck has historically been owned by the city. That (current truck) was purchased in 2002 and was owned by the city,” he said.

However, after talking to City Manager Randy Sharpe, Geiss learned that city officials would like the fire department to own the new vehicle.

“That was not something we had planned for or budgeted for,” the fire chief said. “We have not had to take out a loan on a vehicle in well over 20 years. Thankfully, we have received the grant money, which we got from the state. That was $1 million, which we put in a CD for 12 months. We’re looking at about $1,050,000 (of that grant money) that will be going towards the truck. The total cost of the

Cyber

Attack from page 7

links or attachments from a trusted account and access internal county systems, posing as a legitimate employee, he said.

In light of this attack, county employees are now prohibited from accessing official county systems or logging in to county-issued devices from unsecured public Wi-Fi net-

truck right now … is $2,229,772.”

A second grant, which would help cover the remainder, has been applied for, but the chief said he is not holding his breath on the department receiving it.

There is an option for prepayment sav ings. If the department pays in full within 30 days of signing the contract, they save $215,544, he said.

The city’s total initial investment would be $800,000, but, at the end of the repayment period of the fire department to the city, the city’s total investment would be $518,225, Geiss said.

Because the fire department covers the City of Chardon and Chardon Township, as well as a portion of Claridon Township, the chief is asking both townships to share in the cost, he told city council.

University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center and the new Geauga County offices, he said.

“We decided to use the percentages that are based on the contract figures as far as determining what percentage each entity would be paying for that vehicle,” he said.

Because Claridon comprises 13% of the department’s coverage area, Geiss proposed Claridon Township kick in 13% of the cost of a new ladder truck, adding up to about $129,000, Tiber said June 2.

Chardon Township agreed to contribute $150,000 toward the initial down payment, Geiss said during the June 12 city council meeting.

“Claridon Township is struggling with this,” he said. “They’re pretty tight, fiscally, as far as in their fire fund. I’ve been very open with them and we’ve talked a lot and we’re going to make sure to be able to make it work with (for) them.”

Tiber said June 2 he doesn’t believe the township would have any need for a ladder truck that can stretch up three stories because Claridon doesn’t have tall buildings.

The exception might be in case of a fire in the institutional portion of the township on Ravenwood and Merritt roads, which includes

works, Antenucci said.

Employees are now required to either pre-verify a secured network, or use a hotspot or county-approved virtual private network, he said.

“This incident underscores the importance of remaining vigilant and adhering to all county cybersecurity policies,” Antenucci said. “A single misstep — like logging in through public Wi-Fi — can lead to widespread consequences for your colleagues, our systems and the public we serve.”

The eastern portion of the township is covered by Burton Fire Department and Munson Township, just a few miles to the west of the county building, has a mutual aid agreement with Chardon Fire Department and has a ladder truck, Tiber noted.

In addition, the township has already agreed to a contract with Chardon that increases 8% per year for the next three years, he said, adding trustees agreed to those increases because the fire department justified the future cost of fire protection.

However, taking $129,000 from the general fund for the new ladder truck would stretch the township’s financial situation, Tiber said.

“You can see why this is a hard pill to swallow,” Tiber said he told Geiss.

Currently, the township can’t afford to pave its own parking lot, he said.

“There’s no light at the end of the tunnel for paving our roads after we pave Tewksbury (Lane),” the trustee said.

Tiber said he understands the city generously offered to put the $1.2 million, including $1 million in grant money, up front to pur-

chase the ladder truck, allowing the township to pay the city back, interest-free, at under $13,000 per year over 10 years.

“It’s a lot of money for us,” he said. “We told (Geiss) we can’t pull the trigger at this time.”

During a follow-up phone call June 16, Tiber said trustees met with Geiss in a workshop June 11 and their stance has not changed.

“If we are told they have to get an answer right now, the answer is ‘no,’” he said. “We don’t have enough.”

Also, Tiber said Claridon voters have a roads levy to renew in November, so trustees probably would not put a fire levy on the ballot until the 2026 election.

Meanwhile, the fire department is looking at ordering the truck at some point in October or November, Geiss said.

“Part of the reason for waiting, we do have another grant out there. I’m not holding my breath on it, but if that grant were to be awarded — we submitted for the (remaining cost) of the truck,” Geiss told city council June 12. “So, unless we’re given a reduced amount, (the grant) would cover the remainder of the cost of the vehicle and we could tear these papers up.”

KSU – Geauga Honors

Local Philanthropists

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Kent State University – Geauga campus recently honored local philanthropists Rich ard and Christie Frenchie with its Friend of the Campus Award.

Among years of involvement in both high er education and healthcare-related projects, the couple, of Auburn Township, made a “substantial philanthropic donation” to the Geauga Building Fund for capital improve ments and renovations on the Burton cam pus, according to KSU.

As a thank you, the university’s science labs will be renamed the Richard J. and Chris tie A. Frenchie Chemistry and Biology Labo ratories by fall semester 2025, KSU said in a June 3 press release.

“The Frenchies’ financial gift will also be used to establish a new nursing scholarship endowment to support nursing students from Geauga County who attend KSU-Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center,” the university said in the release, adding the first scholar ship will be awarded in the fall of 2025.

“Thanks to their support, future nurses and scientists from Geauga County will have the resources and encouragement they need to succeed and become contributors to the local community,” said Kent State Geauga Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Angela Spalsbury in the release. “We’re honored to have their names forever connected to our campus. We are profoundly grateful for their enduring support of the Geauga Campus and their vision for a brighter future.”

It is hard to put into words how much the Frenchies mean to KSU’s Geauga campus, said Rebecca Gierman, associate director of external relations, in the release.

“Their generosity comes from the heart and their belief in our students and in the power of education is truly inspiring,” she said.

Richard, who is president of The Frenchie Group consulting firm, through which he currently provides leadership to 11 organizations in Northeast Ohio, previously served as president and CEO of several regional hospitals, including University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, according to KSU.

He is currently chair of the Geauga Campus Advisory Board and serves as board director for the Kent State Foundation and the KSU National Alumni Association. His leadership helped launch the campus’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, “a lasting contribution to regional healthcare,” KSU said in the release.

“Kent State University is unique and one that I appreciate for its academic excellence with a strong mission, vision and values,” Richard said in a statement. “The Kent cul-

ture represents a caring and nurturing environment for staff, students, leadership and the community.”

Christie’s roots in Geauga County extend five generations, according to the release, which said she belongs to a three-generation-strong KSU family.

“She volunteered at Geauga Hospital as an auxiliary member for over 20 years, serving as president for much of her tenure. She also volunteered in Kent State Geauga’s nursing program, encouraging community engagement on campus,” the university said in the release. “Christie now serves as president of their homeowners association in Auburn Township. In college, Christie trained in environmental research with an emphasis on marine biology. Also an accomplished watercolor painter and writer, Christie is currently writing her memoir.”

As Richard reflected on his and his wife’s involvement in the county for the past several decades, he noted the importance of investing in organizations that have positive impacts on their communities.

“KSU impacts the community by more than $5 billion. These results and the continued investment in the communities served are a real inspiration and a demonstration of strong and caring partnerships,” he said in the release. “Christie and I have the opportunity to tell the KSU story because of the conviction of KSU and its rich history. Student-first and student-success are the number one priority of KSU and rightfully so. Telling the story is what we enjoy doing, for it is easy, given the achievements during its long history of more than 100 years.”

Village Council Honors Cardinal Wide Receiver

By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com

Middlefield Village Council and Mayor Ben Garlich recognized Cardinal Schools football team wide receiver Reese Soltis for a record-breaking season June 12.

During the regular council meeting, Gar lich presented Reese, 18, who graduated this year, with a proclamation highlighting his par ticipation in the 80th Ohio Football Coaches Association North South Classic Allstar game in Massillon April 12 and his remarkable tal ent and relentless work ethic.

Reese broke 10 Huskie football records dating back to 1989 and further in his last season on the field, Garlich said.

The mayor commended Reese for his dedication and leadership, adding Reese is the first Huskie to play in the North South annual game.

Garlich also credited the Huskie offensive line’s dynamic and quarterback Cal Ciminel lo, as well as Reese’s family, who showed up, en force, last Thursday to cheer their favorite player.

After reading the proclamation, Garlich asked if Reese had been intimidated when he heard he’d be playing with all the top players from across Ohio.

“No,” Reese said. “More excited than in timidated.”

In a later text, Reese thanked all his Cardinal coaches for years of support and instruction, head coach Tiger LaVerde from Kirtland Schools for nominating him for the North South Classic and head coach Tim Cooper from West Branch High School for selecting him to play on the North team.

The organization covered the cost of everything for more than 120 high school seniors, Chris said.

“It was an absolute honor and blessing to participate in this prestigious event,” he wrote.

Reese was recruited in April as a wide receiver by Trine University in Angola, Ind., said his father, Chris Soltis, in a phone interview June 13.

Chris said he filmed the offensive plays at the North South game at the Paul Brown Tiger Stadium so he would have a record of Reese’s game and his two receptions totaling 42 yards.

“Both receptions led to field goals and touchdowns to give his team the win, 10-6,” Chris said, adding he was impressed with the facility in Akron-Canton and with the great

“They had tour buses move the teams from hotel to practice facility all three days,” he said, adding the 37 high school seniors played very well together during the game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon.

“None of the kids knew each other. They’d never played against each other,” Chris said. “They built a close relationship after just three days of practicing, eating and rooming together. It looked like they’d been playing together for a long time. It was really special. There was a lot of celebration after the really good plays.”

“He started playing flag football at 5 years old,” Chris said.

After playing football at Berkshire High School in Burton Village, Chris was recruited as a running back by Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa., where he played for four years, he said, adding Reese’s mother, Holly, was a nine-time state qualifier in track and a sixtime state finalist in hurdles and relays.

Reese’s parents will be traveling every Saturday during the season to watch their son play, Chris said.

The first game is in Virginia and others will be in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

Meanwhile, Reese plans to major in busi ness, his father said.

Park District’s Inclusive Experience Program Blossoms

By rose nemunAitis editor@kArlovecmedi

Geauga Park District Naturalist Nora Sin delar smiles anytime she can share her gen uine love of nature and all its splendidness with others.

GPD’s “Signs of Season” inclusive experi ence program — held June 5 at Veterans Leg acy Woods in Newbury Township — provided an opportunity for Sindelar to do just that, specifically for participants with developmen tal disabilities.

“This is one of the most rewarding pro grams I am a part of,” she said. “The joy when a participant touches a turtle shell or hears what a treefrog sounds like is so evident by the smiles and ‘thank yous’ that I receive. is also evident that they enjoy just getting out and experiencing nature. minded of how amazing the world is around us, which is truly seen by those who look at things with eyes and minds wide open.”

The park district’s inclusive experience programming is open to anyone, but specifi cally invites participants with developmental disabilities and organizations who serve clients with developmental disabilities, Sindelar said.

Solid Rock on Which We Stand in Chardon and Brian's Place in Chester Township are two organizations that have benefited from the programming several times, she said.

About 10 years ago, a local organization working with adults with developmental disabilities contacted GPD looking for more ways its clients could take part in park activi-

ties and the park district responded, Sindelar said.

Since then, GPD has held several inclusive experiences, including a fall wagon ride at The Swine Creek Reservation in Middlefield, with Sindelar pointing out interesting plants and animal signs.

GPD has had both indoor and outdoor programs with topics including reptiles and signs of wildlife.

During the “Signs of Spring” program,

Sindelar played nature sounds and participants met one of their nature center critters, an American toad, inside the open-air shelter, then headed out on a trail for a scavenger hunt, listening and looking around the meadow, pond and forests.

Louise Reames — who previously ran a workshop at Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Center in Chester Township for 20 years — and her husband, Brian Reames, run Brian's Place Day Program, which serves 10-12 indi-

“My favorite thing about the inclusive programs is they get to see friends they don't usually get to see and that is so important to many of the individuals we serve,” Louise

They have been going to the inclusive programs for several years and always look at the park program schedule as soon as it

“They really like when there is a program to attend and they all love Nora,” Louise said. “All of her programs are informative and fun.”

As a group, they go to parks often to walk

“There are so many great parks and trails

The couple usually rents out Claridon Woods pavilion each year and invites all the other day programs to join for a get-together.

“They enjoy seeing all their friends and that park has flush toilets, a plus for the clients we serve, and a large yard for games and a pavilion for lunching in the shade,” Louise

Their clients thoroughly enjoyed the spring program, she said, reading from a list her clients shared about what they liked most.

“Sindelar, learning about spittle bugs, salamanders, sign language and seeing their friends in other groups,” she read.

Laura Lawrence serves as director of adult day services for Solid Rock, a Christian-based, family-owned organization dedicated to serving adults with developmental

See Program • Page 13

Geauga Park Board Honors Late Commissioner

By emmA mAcniven mAcniven@kArlovecmediA com

The Geauga Park District Board of Commissioners honored the late Lester LaGatta at its June 16 board meeting.

LaGatta, a current park commissioner, died June 6 at the age of 79. He had served on the board since early 2023, GPD Executive Director John Oros said.

“His life was marked by a steadfast commitment to protecting and serving others, both in uniform and at home, embodying the true spirit of public service and personal devotion,” he said. “(His) legacy of service and love will continue to inspire all who knew him.”

LaGatta was a U.S. Army veteran and had previously served as a police officer for the Cleveland Heights Police Department and police chief for the Chagrin Falls Police Department.

Village, Thompson Township, Burton Village and Troy Township following.

The website has seen 71,900 active users so far this year, Ward reported.

The district’s website originally launched in 2002, with a rebrand launching in 2017, she added.

This year, the “User Way” program was added to the website, which allows users to adjust font type, size, contrast options and other accessibility measures, she said.

LaGatta will leave a legacy of service, leadership and love, Oros added.

In other business, GPD Marketing Coordinator Sandy Ward gave a presentation on the park district’s social media engagement, which included townships in the county.

She cited 45% of website users for geaugaparkdistrict.org are in Chardon, 11% of users are in Bainbridge and Chester townships, with Middlefield Village, South Russell

Program

from page 12 disabilities.

“Our day program has been open for the past four years and we have loved exploring the wonderful Geauga parks during this time,” Lawrence said. “Our individuals truly enjoy the Geauga Park District's inclusive programs, especially the presentations led by Nora, who they affectionately call ‘Nora The Explorer.’”

Her clients have enjoyed creating evergreen centerpieces during the Christmas season’s inclusive program, as well as learning about nature in general and local animals and their habitats, she said.

In addition, there are inter active parts of the website, Ward said.

“(There’s) a wildlife sightings page where you can record wild life sightings that you see in your community, at home or at a park,” she said. “(There’s) also an ‘Ask a Naturalist’ page where you can ask a natu ralist a question about wildlife that you may have seen, or some sort of a wildlife manage ment question or a natural happening, and a naturalist will actively respond on the page.”

In addition, Ward reported the board’s Facebook page has 24,180 followers, which has gone up by 4,396 since 2022.

Facebook is the park board’s “power house” social media, she said, adding Instagram, X (Twitter) and Youtube are used less.

Ward shares upcoming programs, events, park news, trail alerts and more on their social media accounts, she said.

“The wagon ride at Swine Creek in the fall has also become a highly anticipated annual tradition for us,” she said.

Lawrence expressed appreciation for GPD’s handicapped-accessible and well-maintained bathrooms.

Both Louise and Lawrence agree the programs offer invaluable experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities to engage with nature, learn new things and socialize.

“The inclusive programs provide a wonderful opportunity for our individuals to connect with others and make new friends,”

Lawrence said.

The next inclusive program will be in August, the exact date to be determined and will be posted on GPD’s website and newsletter when summer programs open June 20.

County Airport to Host Young

completed youth protection training and are certificated with the Federal Aviation Administration or Transport Canada, the event page said, adding the program prioritizes the safety of everyone involved.

“Safety is always a top priority when it comes to aviation,” EAA said. “Listen and follow instructions given by that pilot, stay away from the propellers and stay with the pilot or ground crew at all times.”

Young Eagles will spend about 15 to 20 minutes in the air and a parent permission form is required, the organization added.

The event’s advertisements also showcase displays and demonstrations slated for the event, including a medical helicopter, gliders and a homebuilt aircraft.

Lee Ensman, of Mentor, in attendance with her family at the Lake County June 7 event, had nothing but the best to say.

“It’s really fun to go there as a family. I have two boys and their eyes light up. It really helps little kids to learn about flight from a young age,” Ensman said. “The breakfast is delicious and you get to see all the airplanes

taking off. My kids just love it.”

Families can register for the June 21 event, at 15421 Old State Road in Middlefield, by visiting https://eaachapters.org/ event-details/PB1068WQP.

The breakfast will include pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage or bacon, coffee and soft drinks.

“The syrup is real maple syrup, the eggs are farm fresh and the pancakes are made from scratch,” Fulop said, adding breakfast is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for children under 3.

EAA Chapter 5 is a nonprofit organization that supports aviation outreach, Fulop said, adding other programs offered including a summer aviation camp, school field trips, school career days, and build and fly programs.

“The residents of Geauga County really benefit from their local asset, Geauga County Airport,” she said.

Cardinal Preschool Relocating To Great Day Child Care

suBmitted

The Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve recently announced the Cardinal Preschool Program will be relocating to Great Day Child Care at 14810 Madison Road in Middlefield.

The move offers numerous benefits to preschool families and staff, as the new location offers an expanded, enriching environment specifically designed to support early childhood development.

The new location features a spacious outdoor playground, a scenic nature trail and updated indoor learning spaces — all contributing to a nurturing and engaging setting where young learners can thrive, according to ESCWR.

“We are thrilled to bring our preschool program to Great Day Child Care,” said Wendy Bartolovich, ESCWR early childhood coordinator in a statement. “The facility aligns perfectly with our mission to provide

high-quality early childhood education that promotes social, emotional, and academic growth in a safe and inspiring environment.”

The Cardinal Preschool Program remains committed to providing developmentally appropriate learning experiences that build strong foundations for lifelong learning. The relocation ensures students will continue to receive the same high-quality instruction and support while benefiting from the additional amenities offered at Great Day Child Care, ESCWR said in a press release.

“This partnership with Great Day Child Care reflects our ongoing commitment to providing inclusive, supportive and enriching environments for all learners,” said ESCWR Superintendent Jennifer Felker. “We are confident this new location will offer an even stronger foundation for our preschool students as they begin their educational journey.”

Enrollment for the upcoming school year is currently open. Families interested in learning more can visit www.escwr.org/CardinalPreschool.aspx or call 440-350-2563 ext. 1728.

County Budget Solid, Despite Several Increases

By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com

While some departments are seeing an uptick in costs, Geauga County has enough money in its coffers to hold steady, Finance Director Adrian Gorton said June 10.

While the county’s 2025 budgeted and 2026 proposed revenue and expenses are in the negative — with revenue at $140 million and expenses projected to be a little above that in 2026 — this is not unusual, Gorton told Geauga County Commissioners during their regular meeting.

“Most of the departments budget more appropriations than they need,” he said. “This would account for the 2025 deficit.”

All funds for the past few years have averaged an 80% utilization rate on appropriations, he said, with the general fund averaging around 90%.

The cash carryovers of the funds are also not taken into account for that number, Gorton noted.

Many of the graphs he presented showed a dip in expenses in 2024. This is due to payroll being taken over by American Rescue Plan Act fund money for that time, he explained.

Sales tax is projected to provide 45.53% of the county’s general fund in 2026, with real estate taxes providing 24.14% and interest income covering 6.28% of the general fund, per Gorton’s graphs.

Commissioners have budgeted nearly $26.8 million for capital projects in the county, Gorton said, with the largest amount — $12.7 million — slated for the Commissioners Capital Reserve Phase Two of the courthouse edition.

About half a million of the $26.8 million is non-capital improvement related, Gorton said, adding those include opioid settlement funds, the Geauga/Portage Juvenile Detention Center fund and liability insurance.

The county budgeted $17.5 million for its general fund, $13.2 million for Geauga County Job and Family Services and $12.5 million for the county Board of Developmental Disabilities, per Gorton’s chart.

The $6.1 million in American Rescue Plan funds will need to be spent by next year, he noted.

“We do have various projects lined up to use that money,” he added.

Budget Increases

The Geauga County Automatic Data Processing board and county Auditor’s Office made budget requests of $3.3 million and $1.5 million, respectively, for 2026, per Gorton’s graph, which also showed amended 2025 budget amounts of almost $3.4 million and almost $1.7 million.

Both have increased since 2021.

The county’s amended miscellaneous fund for 2025, which budgeted $21.9 million, was higher than usual due to a $10 million

transfer for the courthouse project and other various capital improvement projects, Gorton said, adding the budget amount currently requested for 2026 is $8.2 million.

The Geauga County Court of Common Pleas has seen some increases, as well, primarily due to a new judge and several retirements, Gorton said.

The court budgeted $2.25 million for 2026, in comparison to its 2025 amended budget amount of almost $2.2 million, and the 2024 actual amount of $1.7 million, Gorton said.

The Geauga County Engineer’s Office has also seen an increase, having added some personnel and purchased a high-tech scanner this year, he said.

The maintenance department budget has doubled since 2021 due to a combination of projects and increased costs, Gorton said, adding it budgeted $4.6 million for 2026 and has an amended budget of $5.4 million for 2025.

While general fund revenue and expenses currently result in a deficit of about $2.7 million, $6.6 in unappropriated funds would offset that, resulting in a final balance of $3.9 million, Gorton said.

“I think that we are in a good position to utilize some of the unappropriated balance to allow the requests as they stand right now to go through,” he said.

A resident questioned if the upward trend in expenses is concerning.

Gorton replied while expenses have increased, so has revenue.

He also noted cost increases, particularly tied to information technology upgrades, are important.

In the specific case of ADP, the average organization should spend 5-8% of its reve-

nue on IT related things. The county is at 3%, Gorton said.

“ADP doesn’t just support the commissioners or the general fund, they support the entire county,” he added.

Bruce Howard Grasser

Bruce Howard Grasser, age 84, of Concord Township, passed away peacefully on June 9, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family.

Born on March 8, 1941, and raised on Cleveland’s west side, Bruce graduated from John Marshall High School, in 1959, where he was a standout football player and wrestler. It was there, at just 15 years old, that Karen Irene Tatousek caught his eye. Their love story began in high school and continued through college.

Bruce earned a full-ride athletic scholarship to Iowa State University and during his sophomore year he and Karen were married on Dec. 29, 1961, at Christ Methodist Church on West 136th Street in Cleveland—right in the midst of a blizzard. Relatives traveling from Buffalo, N.Y., were stranded by the storm, but nothing could stop their beginning. Together, they built a life anchored in deep love and shared purpose. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2011 and remained devoted to one another until Karen’s passing in 2014.

Bruce graduated from Iowa State in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and later earned his MBA from Case Western Reserve University. He was a lifelong Cyclone—loyal, proud and actively involved—later serving as a Governor on the Iowa State University Foundation Board of Governors. His passion for learning, mentoring and giving back shaped his life and inspired others.

In 1973, Bruce and Karen moved to Chardon to raise their three children and became deeply rooted in the community. He served as president of the Chardon Schools Board of Education from 1978 to 1984 and was a lifetime member of the Chardon Methodist Church.

Bruce began his career with Lubrizol, in 1968, where he worked for nearly 40 years. He retired in January 2007 as Managing Director of International Mergers and Acquisitions.

Throughout his career, Bruce was a trusted leader and a natural mentor—sharing his time and insight with countless colleagues and graduate students through Case Western Reserve University’s EDGE program, connecting the next generation to meaningful experience in the Northeast Ohio business community.

He embraced life fully—golfing, riding his motorcycle and traveling. Over the years, he enjoyed trips to Florida and Hawaii, but his favorite getaway was the family’s annual twoweek summer tradition in the Adirondack Mountains, a retreat they honored for more than 50 years. The memories made during those times remain priceless to the family he so loved.

More than anything, Bruce was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He never missed a game, a performance or an opportunity to show up for his family. His steady presence, deep wisdom and kind heart were the foundation of their lives.

Bruce is survived by his son, Chuck Grasser, of Hambden Township; twin daughters, Shelly Grasser (Kim Wright) and Susan Aveni (Jim), both of Concord Township; and his beloved grandchildren, Joseph, Jillian and

Obituaries

Michael Aveni, and Callen and Nicholas Tommasone.

He was preceded by his beloved wife, Karen, in 2014; and his brother, Ken Grasser.

Visitation will be held at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, from 2-5 p.m., with a memorial service to follow at 5 p.m.

A private interment will be held at Chardon Municipal Cemetery at a later date.

The family requests that memorial contributions in Bruce’s name be made to The Foundation for Geauga Parks at https://www. foundationforgeaugaparks.org/pages/donate; or Hospice of the Western Reserve at https:// www.hospicewr.org/Give.

Arrangements are entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service. The family invites you to visit Bruce’s obituary at www.burrservice.com to share memories, offer words of comfort and post condolences on his Tribute Wall.

Judith A. Neece

Affectionately known by friends and family as Judy, she was born on Jan. 21, 1948, in Cleveland. Judy’s journey began as a daughter to Sam and Clara Loparo. She grew up in Cleveland Heights alongside her brother, Kenny.

Judy’s journey ended at home, in Willoughby, on June 8, 2025, at the age of 77, as she succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

She graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1966.

Judy had a passion for learning and her commitment to her Christian faith was evident in her life. She carefully studied the Bible and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in March of 1971. She spent many hours helping others to develop a further understanding of the creator.

Her spirit was marked by generosity and thoughtfulness and her creative side found pleasure in sewing and garment making. Her hands crafted many of the clothes that she wore. She also had a love of country music. She along with her good friend Evelyn saw many of the country greats at various concerts. In Judy’s thinking, “It don’t mean a thang if it ain’t got twang.”

Judy’s journey through life was shared for over 57 years with husband, Doug, with whom she built a good family. Their union was blessed with children: Shawn, who with his wife, Kristine, started the process of Judy becoming a grandmother to Julia, Trevor and Joshua; Terra and her husband, Frank, added Vincent and Brenden to the fold; and Molly and her husband, Sean, completed the family with Tyler and Chloe. Each grandchild was precious to Judy.

As Judy’s family grew, so did her concern for them. She was always there to offer good advice, a listening ear and a helping hand. Her generosity extended beyond her family, touching the lives of many in her congregation. Judy’s thoughtfulness was evident in the way she remembered anniversaries and to call on those who were having difficulties. In her final days, Judy’s faith remained

strong. She faced her illness realistically without fear.

Her family takes comfort in knowing she endured faithfully to the end and now is safe in God’s memory. If you knew anything about Judy, you knew she was genuine or as one person put it “She was REAL.”

Though her voice is silenced, her example will always be remembered.

Visitation will be held at Four Points Sheraton, 35000 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake, Ohio, on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 1 p.m., with a memorial service at 2-2:30 p.m. Refreshments immediately following.

Arrangements are entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service. The family invites you to visit Judy's obituary at www.burrservice.com to share memories, offer words of comfort and post condolences on her Tribute Wall.

Vera L. Erasmus

ty of the heavenly garden.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Vera to Rescue Village, 15463 Chillicothe Road, Novelty, OH 44072.

Family receiveD friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Vera at The DeJohn Funeral Home & Crematory of Chardon (formerly Ritondaro), 126 South St., on June 13, 2025, from 3-5 p.m. A prayer service followed at 5 p.m. at the funeral home.

Cremation and arrangements entrusted to DeJohn Funeral Home and Crematory. Online obituary and guestbook at www.DeJohnCares.com.

Philip W. Foley

Philip W. Foley, age 77, of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly on May 30, 2025, in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Born Oct. 4, 1947, in Cleveland, he was the beloved son of the late William and Berniece (nee Wells) Foley.

Vera L. Erasmus (nee Ward), age 83, beloved wife of Robert for 62 years; loving mother of Amy (Eric) Densmore, Thomas (Tami) and Wendy (Jon) Thompson; devoted grandmother of Robin (Andy) Ball, Shane, Jack, Claire, Evan, Jared, Aaron, and Rachel (Joe) DeLisio; great-grandmother of Joanna and Liam; cherished daughter of the late Norman and Irene (nee Flugan) Ward; dearest sister of the late Donald (Laura, deceased) Ward and Robert (Dorothy, deceased) Ward; sister-in-law of Dorothy (Bert, deceased) Hokes, Darlene Cseplo, Ann (Dan) Scheidel, and the late Jean (Ralph, deceased) Shupe and George (Carol, deceased); dear aunt and great-aunt of many.

Vera, fondly known to her grandchildren and family as Grammie, was born on April 8, 1942, in Lisbon, Ohio, before making Chardon home for so many wonderful years.

She met her beloved husband, Bob, and the two became a family of five, sharing wonderful memories of family vacations, especially those consisting of their camping trips. A natural nurturer, she was blessed with the title of Grammie and adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

This love and care extended beyond her family and to individuals in local nursing homes. A member of the Visiting Angels Foundation, Grammie would sit with residents and provide simple companionship.

Grammie enjoyed being with others and found tremendous value in friendships. She started the Chardon Chapter of the Red Hat Society and she and the other members relished their time getting together for lunch and a cup of coffee. She loved getting together with friends, both new and old, for a cup of coffee and some sort of tasty treat at Beans coffee shop in the square. She also enjoyed taking camping trips with Bob’s family and spending time in her flower gardens.

Grammie’s faith was also a pillar of her life. While living in Chardon, she was an active member of Morning Star Friends Church.

On June 7, 2025, Vera passed away. Though there is sadness in her parting, there is peace in knowing she is amongst the beau-

A lifelong resident of Mayfield, Philip graduated from Mayfield High School in 1966. He worked there for a decade as a janitor before spending 30 years with the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland, where he served faithfully in the laundry department. He approached every task with care and consistency, always giving his best.

Philip found joy in life’s simple pleasures—riding the bus, playing board games, especially UNO, a favorite pastime he enjoyed sharing with others.

He is survived by his cousin, Betty Wells Bliss; and second cousins, Dan W. Bliss, Michelle Bliss Harman and Stacy Graeff Jantz. He was preceded in death by his parents. Private family services have been held.

The family suggests memorial contributions in Philip’s name be made to Jewish Family Services Association (JFSA), 29125 Chagrin Blvd., Pepper Pike, OH 44122 or at https://www.jfsa-cleveland.org/get-involved/ donate/donate-now/.

The family invites you to share a memory, kind word or message of condolence by visiting his Tribute Wall at www.burrservice.com. Your thoughts and stories are a meaningful way to honor Philip’s life and the quiet impact he had on those who knew him.

Arrangements are entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service.

June 11 with a vibrant and memorable trip to Cleveland that brought together 200 of the county’s senior citizens for a day filled with discovery, entertainment and community.

Organized by the department’s recreation and education staff, Senior Day featured a fully coordinated motor coach tour of Cleveland, beginning with a visit to the International Women’s Air & Space Museum, where participants were welcomed and prepared for a

Giggles 'n Stitches

Giggles 'n Stitches 4-H Club has started its 2025 4-H year with monthly meetings through May and then weekly meetings in June and July. At the meetings, members and Cloverbuds work on their projects, attend demonstrations and learning events, and dis cuss club and county business topics.

The newly elected 2025 club officers are president, Rebecca Zallar; vice president, Isabelle Violette; secretary, Audrey Knaus; treasurer, Margaret Zallar; news reporter, Helena Haar; hospitality coordinator, Lau ren Como; health and safety officer, Leah Samsonas; historians, Kate Moore and Molly Chaney; junior treasurer, Elin Serquina; and junior secretary, Lucy Weaver. The club’s lead advisor is Julia Wood, and Miranda Skitz ki is project advisor.

Some of the members and their families went to the Sewing and Quilting Expo at the I-X Center to look at the amazing creations people had made and shop items vendors were selling that are sewing and quilting re lated. During the club field trip, members were able to select patterns and materials for their 4-H projects, as well as attend demonstrations and classes.

lic Square, Downtown Cleveland, University Circle, Euclid Avenue’s iconic Millionaires' Row, the Flats and the Tremont neighborhood. The tour offered a unique glimpse into the rich history and revitalized energy of the city.

The group then enjoyed lunch and live entertainment at the Music Box Supper Club, a beloved local venue overlooking the Cuyahoga River. Musical entertainment was provided by The Sunrise Jones, whose lively

4-H News

performance of pop and rock favorites from the 1960s and ‘70s had guests singing and

ously sponsored by Ohman Family Living, whose support helped ensure safe and comfortable travel for all participants.

"This day is all about honoring and celebrating the incredible seniors in our community," said Jessica Boalt, director of the Geauga County Department on Aging. "We are proud to offer enriching opportunities like this that support active aging and social engagement."

Geauga Library

Programs require registration unless otherwise noted. Include an email and phone number when registering for programs to receive updates about all programs. Visit www.geaugalibrary.net.

Art Inspired by the Civil War

June 21, 2-3 p.m. • Virtual

Connect with the James A. Garfield National Historic Site on Zoom this June and travel back in time as we analyze the many pieces and styles of art inspired by the American Civil War.

World of Resist Dye Techniques

June 21, 2-3 p.m. • Middlefield

Join Sara Hume, curator and professor at Kent State University, to learn about resist dye techniques, including tie-dye, shibori, batik and ikat, while viewing dyed fabrics from around the world.

Family Drive-In Night

June 22, 6 p.m. • Offsite

Join for a fun-filled evening at the Mayfield Road Drive-In Theatre, 12091 Mayfield Road in Chardon, to watch “How to Train Your Dragon (2025).” Other festivities include special visits from the Munson Fire Department, Geauga Sheriff’s Department and U-H Geauga’s med-evac helicopter. Tickets are now available for purchase at funflick.com/mayfield.

plies and learn about different fabrics. Fam ilies finished the field trip by enjoying ice cream at Handel's ice cream shop.

Club members, parents, grandparents, siblings and friends attended the Friends and

Several club families participated in the Auburn Township Roadside Clean-Up service project. The club members recently voted to

projects for the year.

Anyone interested in the club or any of the more than 35 Geauga County 4-H clubs may call the Geauga County Extension Office at 440-834-4656. (Submitted by Helena Haar, news reporter)

George

Washington Comes to Ohio

June 25, 7-8:30 p.m. • Chardon

Connect with President George Washington, portrayed by Dale Fellows, and listen as he recounts his life, with a focus on his involvement in the American Revolution, the drafting of the Constitution and his rise to the presidency.

GeaugaDistrictPark

For more information and registration, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit www.geaugaparkdistrict.org.

Searching for Snakes

June 28, 10 a.m. to noon

The adventure begins at The Rookery and includes two intriguing hours of finding various reptiles and amphibians in all the nooks and crannies of the park, obviously with a focus on the snake. Watch as Naturalist Andy pulls snakes out of the woods to study.

No registration is required. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Bulletin Board

For-profit and nonprofit organizations or groups will need to purchase a paid advertisement for an event anytime tickets are sold, a fee is charged or a freewill donation is taken. If an organization or group does not wish to buy an ad to promote their event and connect with our readers, Karlovec Media Group will print a simple liner-type ad identifying the event, date/time/place and a number to call for more information. Email submissions to: cbb@karlovecmedia.com

Veterans Community Open House

June 20, 3-6 p.m.

Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center in Bainbridge Township hosts its third-annual Veterans Community Open House. Activities include facility tours, nature walks and horse demonstrations. The free event includes many organizations devoted to the military community, offering information and services. For information, call 440-708-0013.

First Fly-In Of Summer

June 21, 7-11 a.m.

The Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 5 will host its first fly-in of summer at the Geauga County Airport, 15421 Old State Road in Middlefield.

An all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast will be served by donation of $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 3-12. Proceeds benefit EAA, Chapter 5.

Free Young Eagle airplane rides will be offered for youth ages 8-17 with parental permission. The event also features displays and demonstrations.

For more information, call 440-6321884, 440-836-3225 or visit www.EAA5.org.

Free Fresh Produce

June 21, 9-11 a.m.

Newbury Community Church hosts a fresh produce giveaway at 14916 Auburn Road. Cleveland FoodBank provides the service to lower income Geauga County residents the third Saturday of each month through October. Please bring ID and bags.

FGP Explorers Series

June 21, 10 a.m. to noon

Join Foundation for Geauga Parks for “Someday Sanctuary for Wildlife” at Covia Best Sand, 11830 Ravenna Road in Chardon. Get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the property and observe how nature and industry co-exist.

For information or to register, visit foundationforgeaugaparks.org or call 440564-1048.

Geauga Pride

June 21, 2-6 p.m.

Geauga Pride returns to Chardon Square to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience and unity. Hosted by Community Church of Chesterland, the festival will include entertainment, food and community engagement.

Attendees are invited to participate in a contest to design a new inclusion flag for the Community Church of Chesterland. All community members are encouraged to submit their ideas.

Visit geaugapride.com for information and to sign up to volunteer.

Follow @geaugapride on social media for updates and announcements.

True North VBS

June 22-26, 6-8 p.m.

Chesterland Baptist Church and Christ Presbyterian Church are hosting “True

North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World" vacation Bible school for children ages 4 through fifth-grade at Chesterland Baptist Church, 12670 Chillicothe Road in Chester Township. The program is free.

Register in person or online at chesterlandbaptist.org. For more information, call 440-729-7101.

Geauga PERI Meets

June 25, 11 a.m.

The Geauga County Public Employee Retirees Chapter 86 will meet at St. Mary Banquet Hall, Chardon. Lunch is at 11:30 a.m. The guest speaker is Andy Myzsak from Century Village. For reservations, call 440 226 4491 by June 20.

Chicken Paprikash Dinner

June 25, 3 p.m.

Newbury American Legion is hosting a chicken paprikash dinner at the post located at 11008 Kinsman Road. Call Ken Hunter ahead at 440-635-6536 for information and to reserve dinner. Takeout containers only; the public is welcome to dine in the pavilion.

LCGS Meeting

June 26, 10 a.m.

The Lake County Genealogical Society (LCGS) will meet via Zoom. Following a brief business meeting, Bill Eddleman, coordinator of the Cape Girardeau Research Center with the State Historical Society of Missouri, will present information that will expand research skills by using court records to uncover family history.

Visit www.lcgsohio.org for more information and an invitation to the Zoom meeting by June 24.

Maplewood Summer Concert Series

June 26, 3 p.m.

Maplewood at Chardon’s summer concert series kicks off with Jill Hayman performing Broadway classics. Visit with residents, family and friends while listening to music and enjoying refreshments. Call Trista Keller at 234-208-9871 for information.

Geauga SOGI Family Pride

June 28, 1-6 p.m.

Join for a free event at The Family Life Center in Bainbridge Township with food trucks, vendors, resources, entertainment and activities for all ages.

For more information, visit: www.GeaugaSOGI.org.

Hope4theHeart

June 28, 2-8 p.m.

The third annual Hope4theHeart event will take place on Chardon Square, featuring music, food trucks, personal testimonies and messages of hope. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or beach chairs and enjoy the event for the full day or just part of it.

For more information, contact Dean Carlo, of Chardon Youth For Christ, at 216338-6581.

Legal Notices

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 19-F-000667

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS THE WAMU MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-AR6, Plaintiff vs. BRENDA HENDERSON, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF MARSHALL D. HENDERSON, 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 https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 3rd day of July, 2025, 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 17th day of July, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Chester to wit: Situated in the Township of Chester, County of Geauga and State of Ohio:

Being Part of Lot No. 5, Tract No. 3, within the said Township and described as follows: Beginning in the center line of Shady Lane at the Northwesterly corner of lands conveyed to John A. and Ellanor F. Mayer by deed recorded in Volume 255, Page 14, of Geauga County Records of Deeds; thence North 74° 30’ 00” East along the Northerly line of said Mayer lands and through an iron pipe 30.33 feet from said place of beginning a total distance of 615.56 feet to an iron pipe; thence North 03° 00’ 15” East 100.0 feet to and iron pipe; thence South 73° 34’ 20” West 672.78 feet to the center line of Shady Lane, and through an iron pipe 30.85 feet therefrom; thence South 23° 55’ 25” East along said road center line 156.0 feet to the place of beginning, containing 1.841 Acres, as surveyed in October, 1953, by T.R. Root, be the same more or less; but subject to all legal highways.

Property Address: 13389 Shady Lane, Chesterland, OH 44026

Deed Reference Number: dated December 18, 1996, filed December 23, 1996, as recorded as Official Records Volume 1085, Page 1047, Geauga County, Ohio records.

Said Premises Located at: 13389 SHADY LANE, CHESTER TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 11-291300

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

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 ($300,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($200,000.00). 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 Jun5-12-19, 2025

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 23-F-000071

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: THIRD FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAN ASSOCIATION OF CLEVELAND, Plaintiff vs. STEPHEN A. PULLING, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 3rd day of July, 2025, 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 17th day of July, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Chester to wit: Situated in the Township of Chester, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: And known as being Sublot No. 61 in the Chesterland Hills Subdivision (sic Subdivision) of part of Original Chester Township Lots 20 and 30,

Tract 3, as shown by the recorded plat in Volume 7 of Maps, Page 40 and 41 of Geauga (sic Geauga) County Records, and being 117 feet front measured on the center line of Mayfield Road (60 feet wide); 377.74 feet on the Westerly line and 375.99 feet on the Easterly line, (both said Westerly line and Easterly line being measured from the center of Mayfield Road); and 117.02 feet across the rear, as appears by said plat, be the same more of less, but subject to all legal highways.

Property Address: 9603 Mayfield Road, Chesterland, OH 44026

Said Premises Located at: 9603 MAYFIELD ROAD, CHESTER TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 11-073800

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

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 ($175,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($116,667.00). 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 Megan J. Katz, attorney Jun5-12-19, 2025

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 23-F-000631

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: CITIZENS BANK, N.A., FKA RBS CITIZENS BANK, N.A., FKA CITIZENS BANK, N.A. SBMT CHARTER ONE BANK, N.A. FKA CHARTER ONE BANK, F.S.B., SBMT CUYAHOGA SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff vs. RAYMOND J. ELIAS, AKA RAMON JAY ELIAS, JR., AKA RAMON J. ELIAS, AKA RAMON ELIAS, AKA R. JAY ELIAS, JR., 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 https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 3rd day of July, 2025, 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 17th day of July, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Munson to wit: Parcel No. 1

Situated in the Township of Munson, County of Geauga,and State of Ohio, and known as being part of the Champion Tract of Tract No. 2 within the said Township and bound and described as follows:Beginning in the centerline of Sherman Road at the southeast corner of land conveyed to David P. Kick by deed recorded in Volume 335, Page 438 of Geauga County Records; Thence N. 08 deg. 10’ 20” East along the Easterly line of said land and through an iron pipe 30.00 feet from said place of beginning, a total distance of 375.00 feet to a point; Thence S. 83 deg. 30’ 00” East a distance of 175.00 feet to a point; Thence S. 06 deg. 10’ 20” West a distance of 375.00 feet to the centerline of Sherman Road; Thence N. 83 deg. 30’ 00” West along the centerline of Sherman Road to the place of beginning containing 1.506 acres, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Parcel No. 2

Situated in the Township of Munson, County of Geauga,and State of Ohio, and known as being part of Champion Tract of Tract No. 2 within the said Township and is bounded and described as follows: Beginning in the centerline of Sherman Road at the southeast corner of land conveyed to David P. Kick by deed recorded in Volume 335, Page 438 of Geauga County Records; Thence N. 06 deg. 10’ 20” East along the easterly line of land and through an iron pipe 30.00 feet from said place of beginning a total distance of 375.00 feet to a point which is the principal point of beginning of the land intended to be conveyed; Thence continuing N. 06 deg. 10’ 20” East along the easterly line of land conveyed to David P. Kick 141.20 feet to an iron pipe; Thence S. 83 deg. 30’ 00” East 421.90 feet to an iron pipe; Thence S. 06 deg. 10’ 20” West 516.55 feet to centerline

of Sherman Road, and through an iron pipe 30.00 feet therefrom; Thence N. 83 deg. 22’ 20” West along said road centerline 153.00 feet to an iron pipe; Thence N. 83 deg. 30’ 00” West along said centerline 93.90 feet to a point; Thence N. 06 deg. 10’ 20” East a distance of 375.00 feet to a point; Thence N. 83 deg. 30’ 00” West a distance of 175.00 feet to the principal point of beginning containing 3.494 acres.

Prior Deed Reference: Book 1665, Page 1038, Instrument No. 200300670335 Said Premises Located at: 9860 SHERMAN ROAD, MUNSON TOWNSHIP, OH. INSIDE APPRAISAL COMPLETED

Permanent Parcel Number: 22-021800, 22-021850

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

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 ($235,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($156,667.00). 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

Johna M. Bella, attorney Jun5-12-19, 2025

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 24-F-000386

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST C/O U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff vs. JAMES W. TITTERINGTON, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 3rd day of July, 2025, 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 17th day of July, 2025 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 part of Lot No. 3, Bond Tract, within the said township, and described as follows: Beginning in the center line of G.A.R. Highway (S.R. 6) at the Northeasterly corner of land conveyed to Margaret A. Reminder, et al, by deed recorded in Volume 282, Page 368, Geauga County Records of Deeds; Thence South 04 deg. 12’ West along the Easterly line of said lands, through an iron pipe 30.00 feet from said place of beginning, a total distance of 420.00 feet; Thence South 86 deg. 37’ East 100.00 feet; Thence North 04 deg. 12’ East 420.00 to the center line of G.A.R. Highway and through an iron pipe 30.00 feet therefrom; Thence North 86 deg. 37’ West along said road center line 100.00 feet to the place of beginning, containing 0.96 acres of land, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Said Premises Located at: 14895 G.A.R. HIGHWAY, HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 15-070200

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

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 ($130,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($86,667.00). 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 Carrie Davis, attorney Jun5-12-19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

TAX BUDGET HEARING

Russell Township

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing on the budget prepared by the Russell Township Board of Trustees for the next succeeding year ending December 31, 2026, has been rescheduled. The hearing will be held on July 1, 2025, at 2:35 p.m. at the Russell Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Rd., Novelty, Ohio 44072. Two copies of the proposed budget are available for public inspection in the office of the Fiscal Officer of Russell Township at 8501 Kinsman Road from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. during normal workdays. The proposed 2026 budget may also be viewed on the Russell Township website at www.RussellTownship.us under Departments/ Administration/Fiscal Office Information. BY ORDER OF THE RUSSELL TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Karen F. Walder, Fiscal Officer Jun12-19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

TAX BUDGET HEARING Newbury Township

Two copies of the proposed 2026 Tax Budget for Newbury Township, Geauga County, Ohio will be on file and available for inspection on or after June 12, 2025, at the Newbury Town Hall, 14899 Auburn Road, Newbury, Ohio. These copies will be available from 9:00 am –3:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Friday during normal work days. Please call ahead or schedule an appointment before coming in. You may contact the Town Hall Administrative Office at 440-5645997. A Public Hearing on this Tax Budget will be held at the Newbury Town Hall, 14899 Auburn Road, Newbury Township at 7:00 p.m. on July 2, 2025. Lindsay M. Pollock, Fiscal Officer Jun12-19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Proposed 2026 Geauga County Tax Budget Notice is hereby given that on July 1, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. a Public Hearing will be held by the Board of County Commissioners of Geauga County, Ohio to discuss the proposed Tax Budget, for the next fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. Said hearing will be held in the Commissioners’ Chambers, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, Ohio. The proposed 2026 Tax Budget will be on file in the office of the County Auditor from June 27, 2025 through July 8, 2025 and will be available for public inspection during that time. A copy of this legal notice is posted on the county’s internet site. Go to http://www.geauga.oh.gov, click on Notices and then Public Hearings. BY ORDER OF THE GEAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Christine Blair, Clerk Jun19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO Case No. 25-F-000154 - Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County, Ohio, Plaintiff, vs. Bonnie L. Dixon, et al., Defendants Bonnie L. Dixon, Unknown Heirs, Spouse, if any, of Bonnie L. Dixon, Charlene H. Hutcher, Unknown Heirs, Spouse, if any, of Charlene H. Hutcher, and Unknown Heirs, Spouse, if any, of Lois L. Peine, whose last known address was 13017 Taylor Wells Road, Chardon, OH 44024, address is unknown, and cannot, with reasonable diligence, be ascertained shall take notice; and, if deceased, their unknown heirs, devises, legatees, administrators, executors, and assigns will take notice that on the 7th day March 2025, the Treasurer of Geauga County, filed a Complaint in the Court of Common Pleas, Geauga County, 100 Short Court Street, Chardon, Ohio 44024, entitled Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County vs. Bonnie L. Dixon, et al., Case No. 25-F-000154, against the above-named parties, praying that the premises hereinafter described be sold for the collection of delinquent real estate taxes, owed and unpaid, is $10,633.81 together with accruing taxes, assessments, penalties, interest, and charges; as well as court costs. Said premises is described as permanent parcel

number(s) 12-054400. A complete legal description of the parcel(s) can be obtained from the Geauga County Recorder’s Office. The volume and page number for the parcel(s) can be obtained from the Geauga County Auditor’s Office.

The object of the action is to obtain from the Court a judgment foreclosing the tax liens against such real estate and ordering the sale of such real estate for the satisfaction of delinquent taxes. Such action is brought against the real property only and no personal judgment shall be entered in it. However, if pursuant to the action, the property is sold for an amount that is less than the amount of the delinquent taxes, assessments, charges, penalties and interest against it, the Court, in a separate order, may enter a deficiency judgment against the owner of record of a parcel for the amount of the difference; if that owner of record is a corporation, the Court may enter the deficiency judgment against the stockholder holding a majority of the corporation’s stock.

The above-named parties are required to answer on or before 28 days after the last date of publication. Such answer must be filed with the Clerk of Courts, and a copy must be served on the Prosecuting Attorney. By Kristen Rine, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Attorney for Plaintiff. Jun5-12-19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE TAX BUDGET HEARING Montville Township

Two copies of the proposed 2026 tax budget for the Township of Montville, Geauga County are on file and available for inspection after June 18, 2025. Please e-mail khawkins@ montvillegeauga.com to make an appointment for viewing. A public hearing on the proposed tax budget will be held at the township office located at 9755 Madison Rd., Montville, Ohio on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. Karen Hawkins, Fiscal Officer Jun19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF MIDDLEFIELD, OHIO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

DEPOSITORY & BANKING SERVICES FOR ACTIVE DEPOSITS

The Village of Middlefield’s current contract with the Huntington National Bank and Middlefield Banking Company for banking and cash management services will expire on or about August 1, 2025. Because of the contract expiration, the Village is currently soliciting SEALED proposals for banking and cash management services for a period of not less than two (2) years, and no more than five (5) years. The Village’s intent is to award all services to the successful bidder; however, the Village retains the right to award a contract for partial services. The purpose of this RFP process is to obtain high-quality requisite depository and banking services at a competitive price. The selected institution shall be designated as the Village’s depository for an initial threeyear term commencing August 1, 2025. The depository agreement shall contain an automatic annual renewal clause that may be used in the two (2) following years, thereby providing for five (5) years of depository and banking services. The agreement may be cancelled prior to the end of each contract period upon 180 days written notice from the institution, or with 60 days written notice from the Village prior to the close of the specific contract period. Copies of the RFP document can be obtained at Village Hall or on the Village’s website (www. middlefieldohio.com) beginning on or about June 5, 2025. Signed proposals should be submitted to the attention of the Village Fiscal Officer, Village of Middlefield in a sealed envelope. PROPOSALS ARE DUE BY 12:00 P.M. on THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2025. Please include one original and two copies. Questions or requests for clarification may be directed to:

Mr. Nicholas Giardina, Fiscal Officer Middlefield Municipal Center 14860 North State Avenue Middlefield, Ohio 44062 ngiardina@middlefieldohio.com Any exceptions to the specifications of this request for proposal must be clearly stated in writing in the proposal. The Village reserves the rights to reject any and all proposals, to waive irregularities, to retain all proposals submitted, and to use any idea in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected, and to cancel this proposal if doing so would be in the public interest. The Village further has the right to (i) select the proposal it deems best in the sole and absolute discretion and judgment of the Village, (11) award partial con-

tracts to multiple banking corporations, in the Villages sole and absolute discretion and judgment, or (iii) to reject all proposals and re-submit Requests for Proposal, in the Village’s sole and absolute discretion and judgment.

Leslie McCoy, Village Administrator Jun5-19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

Bids will be received by Geauga Transit for the following good(s) and/or service(s) until the respective deadline as shown:

Project: ITB # GT10- REPLACEMENT and/ or RESURFACING of ASPHALT at GEAUGA

TRANSIT ADMINISTRATIVE and MAINTENANCE FACILITY

Bids Due: July 11, 2025 at 2:00p.m.

There will be a pre-bid meeting at 12555 Merritt Rd. Chardon, OH 44024 at 10:00 AM on June 24, 2025.

Copies of the procurement documents can be downloaded from the web: https://laketran. com/about-laketran/doing-business-with-laketran/. Questions must be addressed to Renée Ramsey at rramsey@laketran.com.

All proposals must be received on time and be in full compliance with the instructions contained in the ITB. Geauga Transit reserves the right to reject any and all quotes and to waive any irregularities or informalities in the bidding and to award to the offeror whose proposal best meets the needs of Geauga Transit. Jun12-19, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGN SERVICES

Chester Township

The Chester Township Board of Trustees (“Owner”) is soliciting statements of qualifications for professional design services for constructing buildings for their Road Department and Police Station (“Project”).

Firms interested in providing the professional design services for the Project may obtain the Owner’s Request for Qualifications for Professional Design Services, which provides additional details regarding the Project, the potential design services that may be provided, and the procedures, timeline and conditions for submitting and evaluating a statement of qualifications, by contacting: Mark A. Purchase, Chester Township Administrator Email: mapurchase@chestertwp.org

The subject line of the e-mail should clearly read “Request for Qualifications for Professional Design Services”.

The deadline for submission of a statement of qualifications is 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on July 11, 2025. Jun19-26, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR BIDS

Chester Township

The Chester Township Board of Trustees is currently accepting bids for the CONCRETE RENOVATION OF EXISTING SALT DOME, 8558 Parkside Drive, Chester Township, Ohio 44026.

Owner’s Representative: Township Administrator Mark A. Purchase

Contact Chester Town Hall at (440) 729-7058 or mpurchaseta@chestertwp.org for bid packets and information.

The construction project and restoration of a concrete foundation wall within the Township’s salt dome. This structure is utilized for the storage of road salt and was originally constructed in the early 1980’s. The estimated project cost: $125,000.00

Bid Date: Thursday, July 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM

Bids must be received at Chester Township Town Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, Chester Township, Ohio 44026 Jun19-26, 2025

IN THE JUVENILE COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF COLUMBIA, STATE OF GEORGIA

IN THE INTEREST OF:)

A. M. S.) FILE NO: 2023J0044

SEX: FEMALE) DOB: 07/17/2014)

N. Z. S.) FILE NO: 2023J0043

SEX: MALE) DOB: 02/10/2017)

NOTICE OF SUMMONS

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN and THE UNKNOWN BIOLOGICAL FATHER of the above minor children, and any other party claiming to have a parental interest in said minor children born to Gina Sweet a/k/a Gina Von Sachsen-Altenburg.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED, in accordance with O.C.G.A.§15-11-96, that the above proceeding seeking the termination of the parental rights of the named children was filed against you in said Court on the 23rd day of May, 2025, by reason of an Order for Service by Publication entered by this Court.

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED AND REQUIRED to lay any and all other business aside and to be and appear before the Juvenile Court of Columbia County, located at 7045 Evans Town Center Blvd, Evans, Georgia 30809, on the 22nd day of August, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. and to remain in attendance from hour to hour, day to day, month to month, year to year, and time to time, as said case may be continued, and until discharged by the Court; each of you then and there to make defense and to show cause why the said children and all parties named herein should not be dealt with according to the provisions of the law. The hearing is for the purpose of determining whether your parental rights should be terminated. The effect of an order terminating parental rights under O.C.G.A.§15-11-93 is without limit as to duration and terminates all the parent’s rights and obligations with respect to the children and all rights and obligations of the children to the parent arising from the parental relationship, including rights of inheritance. The parent whose rights are terminated is not thereafter entitled to notice of proceedings for the adoption of the children by another, nor has the parent any right to object to the adoption or otherwise to participate in the proceedings. A copy of the petition may be obtained by the parents from the Clerk of the Columbia County Juvenile Court, 640 Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans, Georgia, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, exclusive of holidays. A free copy shall be available to the parent. Upon request, the copy will be mailed to the requester - parents or alleged parents only.

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that while responsive pleadings are not mandatory, they are permissible and you are encouraged to file with the Clerk of this Court and serve on Petitioner’s attorney, Gary A. Glover, an answer or other responsive pleadings within sixty (60) days of the date of the order for service by publication.

WITNESS the Honorable Charles E. Evans, Judge of said Court, this 23rd day of May, 2025.

Cindy Mason, Clerk, Juvenile Court Columbia County, Georgia Jun19-16Jul3-10, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

25-F-000041 – JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Plaintiff vs. Ryan Davis, et al., Defendants

The Unknown Heirs at Law or Under the Will, if any, of Joyce Davis aka Joyce A. Davis, deceased, whose last place of residence/business is unknown, but whose present place of residence/business is unknown will take notice that on January 13, 2025, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association filed its Complaint in Case No. 25-F-000041 in the Court of Common Pleas Geauga County, Ohio, 100 Short Court Street, Suite #300, Chardon, Ohio 44024, alleging that the Defendant(s) The Unknown Heirs at Law or Under the Will, if any, of Joyce Davis aka Joyce A. Davis, deceased, have or claim to have an interest in the real estate described below:

Permanent Parcel Number: 15-101000; Property Address: 13004 Chardon Windsor Road, Chardon, OH 44024. The legal description may be obtained from the Geauga County Auditor at 231 Main Street, Suite 1-A, Chardon, Ohio 44024, 440-279-1600.

The Petitioner further alleges that by reason of default of the Defendant(s) in the payment of a promissory note, according to its tenor, the conditions of a concurrent mortgage deed given to secure the payment of said note and conveying the premises described, have been broken, and the same has become absolute.

The Petitioner prays that the Defendant(s) named above be required to answer and set up their interest in said real estate or be forever barred from asserting the same, for foreclosure of said mortgage, the marshalling of any liens, and the sale of said real estate, and the proceeds of said sale applied to the payment of Petitioner’s Claim in the proper order of its priority, and for such other and further relief as is just and equitable.

THE DEFENDANT(S) NAMED ABOVE ARE REQUIRED TO ANSWER ON OR BEFORE THE 31th DAY OF JULY, 2025.

BY: REIMER LAW CO. Donald Brett Bryson, Attorney at Law, Attorney for Plaintiff-Petitioner, P.O. Box 39696, Solon, Ohio 44139. (440) 600-5500. Jun19-26 Jul3, 2025

NOTICE OF DRAWING JURORS

(Revised Code Sec. 2313.20)

OFFICE OF COMMISSIONERS OF JURORS

GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

To All Whom It May Concern: On Monday, the 8th day of July, 2025 at 10:00 A.M., at 100 Short Court St., Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio. Jurors will be publicly drawn for the annual year of July 18, 2025 through July 18, 2026 term(s) of the Common Pleas and Municipal Courts of said County.

COMMISSIONERS OF JURORS

Joyce Edelinksy Karen Swan Beverly Modic, Clerk Jun19, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Thompson Ledge Park Commission

The Thompson Ledge Park Board will hold a public hearing at 5:30 pm on July 9, 2025 for the 2026 Budget at the Ledge Park Building. The 2026 Budget is on file for viewing. Cindy Lausin, Clerk Jun19, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Thompson Township

The Thompson Township Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, for the FY2026 Budget at the Thompson Township Community Center on the square in Thompson. The 2026 Budget will be on file for viewing by calling 440-298-9813.

Cindy Lausin, Fiscal Officer Jun19, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF CHARDON

Residents of the City of Chardon shall take note that a public hearing shall be conducted by the Council of the City of Chardon in Council Chambers of the Chardon Municipal Center, 111 Water Street, Chardon, Ohio at 6:15 P.M. upon the 10th day of July, 2025. Said hearing is to provide the public an opportunity to comment regarding the City of Chardon’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. A copy of the proposed budget is on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Finance Director of said City, weekdays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. All interested persons are urged to attend. AMY DAY, CLERK OF COUNCIL Jun19, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

Passage of Ordinances & Resolutions City of Chardon Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Chardon, duly passed and/or adopted the following legislation:

RESOLUTION NO. 12-25

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE INSTALLATION COST SHARING AGREEMENT WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CHARDON LOCAL SCHOOLS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 12th day of June, 2025.

ORDINANCE NO. 3312

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT/ AGREEMENT WITH GEAUGA HIGHWAY COMPANY FOR 2025 STREET MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 12th day of June, 2025.

ORDINANCE NO. 3313

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A LEASE WITH HILLTOP RETRO, LLC. AN OHIO LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION, FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 105-B SOUTH STREET, CITY OF CHARDON, OHIO, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 12th day of June, 2025.

The complete text of these ordinances and resolutions may be viewed or obtained at the office of the Clerk of Council, 111 Water Street, Chardon, Ohio, during regular business hours. By order of the Council of the City of Chardon, Ohio.

AMY DAY, CLERK OF COUNCIL Jun19, 2025

Geauga County Sheriff’s Report

The following is a sampling of the calls handled by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office June 6 to June 12, 2025.

FRAUD

June 6

1:18 p.m., Claridon Troy Road, Claridon. Caller states that someone contacted him stating a family member of his had died, and he was left 10 million dollars in the will. Caller did not know who the family member was but did send a copy of his drivers license to the party who contacted him. He would like a deputy to respond so that he can provide them with copies of their email exchanges. Deputy met with complainant who advised he was contacted by people online claiming he was to inherit 10 million dollars. Complainant advised he did not send any money, but scanned his driver's license to an unknown person. Complainant was advised to get a new driver's license, monitor his bank account, and if any funds were withdrawn not of his doing to contact the Sheriff's Office again. Nothing criminal at this time.

June 11

6:43 p.m., Broadwood Drive, Burton. Caller is terrified and was wanting a Deputy in plain clothes and unmarked cruiser because someone told her she was under surveillance. After speaking with her and her neighbor that called for her it was determined that she has been told to send a large amount of money which she has ready. She was advised that this is a scam and she shouldn't be scared. Caller is now aware that the Deputy will be responding in uniform and cruiser. Complainant was not out any money. Was given advice.

THEFT

June 6

12:33 p.m., Main Market Road, Parkman. $1,000 worth of fishing tackle was stolen off the caller's boat. 8:30 this morning. Discovered the theft about an hour ago. Currently at the Gulf station and now wants to make a report. Caller is at the back of the building in a silver F150. See report.

THREATENING

June 9

3:02 p.m., Parkside Road, Munson. Caller states she broke up with her boyfriend last night and is threatening her in the means of sextortion and demanding money. His name is (redacted). She is worried about him retaliating, releasing photos of her. He has access to an AR15, posting photos of his gun “Smiling through it all.” He has not made direct threats with the AR15, however he has threatened her with blackmailing and sextortion. She doesn't know what photos of her but she thinks he is going to release them publicly. Both parties are 20 years old, unknown is current whereabouts. Caller is reporting the threats of blackmailing and wanting advice on how to move forward knowing he has access to weapons and his recent social media posts. Report taken for documentation only.

SICK/INJURED ANIMAL

June 9

11:09 p.m., Madison Road, Huntsburg. Car vs. deer. Caller does not want a report, finished the deer with a knife in someone's gravel pull-off. Not sure what to do with the deer now. Upon arrival, caller was no longer on scene. Deer was deceased and not a traffic hazard.

SUSPICIOUS

June 7

12:03 p.m., Kinsman Road, Newbury. Elderly female there advising she is on the phone with “The lead singer of Disturbed.” She is now sitting in a black Equinox in the parking lot. Deputy made contact with the store clerk at Dollar General who advised she (woman) from purchasing $1,000 in gift cards for concert tickets. Deputies made contact with woman at her residence and advised her it was a scam. She advised that she did not purchase any gift cards or provide any of her banking information to the unknown caller. Was advised to use a trusted source for concert tickets. Nothing criminal at this time.

June 10

5:55 a.m., Mentor Road, Chardon. Trailer or motorcycle on the wrong side of the guard rail in the woods. Brothers sleeping on side of the road. Told to move along. Resident did not want them on her property.

June 11

1:19 p.m., Walking Stick Lane, Hambden. Found bullet holes in the side of his house. Deputy met with complainant in the lobby regarding a hole he found in his residence gutter. Deputy examined the photo of the hole and was unable to determine if it was a bullet hole, wanted the incident documented and was advised to call the Sheriff's Office if he finds more holes or any bullet casings. He will also send photos of the hole that will be attached to this report when he sends them to deputy's work email.

Real Estate Transfers

UNDERAGE CONSUMPTION

June 6

10:19 p.m., Kile Road, Hambden. Caller is 15-year-old female advising she was invited to a party at the listed address. Caller did not go but advised there is underage drinking and lots of marijuana. Caller felt she was being quite funny with her friends giggling in the background. When asked her name she hesitated and also had to look up her own phone number to give dispatch. When asked if she was with a parent the caller hung up on dispatch. No signs of any parties in the area.

VANDALISM

June 8

8:23 a.m., Clark Road, Chardon. Caller's mailbox is gone. There is property strewn about along the roadway and several mailboxes were damaged. Caller doesn't want to see or speak with an officer. Just wants it noted and extra patrol requested for over night. Deputy drove in the area and only observed complainant's mailbox missing. Complainant only wants extra patrol in the area.

June 12

7:44 p.m., Mayfield Road, Claridon. Caller states his parents are out of town and received a ring video of someone defecating on the porch of the business. Truck pulled up with the phone number. Caller states it sounded like a prank. Complainant reported a white male pulled into the parking lot and defecated. A man answered and apologized. He stated he suffered from Ulcerative colitis and offered to clean it up. Complainant did not wish to pursue any charges and only wanted the incident documented. Appeared to be a medical issue.

Following is a list of real estate transfers for the week ending June 13, 2025, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office..

AUBURN TOWNSHIP

Insana Homes Ltd., 16730 Victoria Drive, to Nicholas Edward and Dana Rogatto Dunlop, $770,000. (2.00 acres)

Timothy M. and Alice M. Kilroy (trustees), 11580 Washington St., to Tyler Dennis Kestranek, $125,000. (2.00 acres)

Dragisa and Barbara Stojanovic, 11501 Stafford Road, to Gail A. Bowen, $785,000. (13.26 acres)

Ellen T. Kuhnle (trustee), 17455 Munn Road, to Abdel Ghani Mustafa and Sherry Mae Azzouqa, $880,500. (12.58 acres)

302 Overlook Brook LLC, 302 Overlook Brook Drive, to Ronald R. and Sally A. Lewis, $395,000. (0.00 acres)

BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

Canyon Lakes Colony Co., Crescent Ridge, to One Two Nine Holdings LLC, $285,000. (0.98 acres)

Darwin Ryan McKnight, 16500 Heatherwood Lane, to Elijah and Rachel Bisbee, $875,000. (3.02 acres)

Sterling Lakes Building Company, Canyon Ridge, to Daniel and Diane Mignogna, $180,000. (0.40 acres)

Linda M. Adams, 17345 Bittersweet Trail, to Christopher and Carly Comella, $600,000. (3.80 acres)

BURTON VILLAGE

Natalie Rock, 14584 Dean Court, to Mitchell Freeman, $215,000. (0.27 acres)

Like New Homes LLC, 14086 E. Center St., to Allen and Madison Mcintosh, $277,500. (0.42 acres)

CHARDON CITY

FLG Chardon LLC, 101 Emerald Drive, to NVR Inc., $93,000. (0.18 acres)

Rudolph G. and Catherine D. Buchheit, 303 Greenway Drive, to David J. and Marlene J. Leber, $375,000. (0.00 acres)

CHARDON TOWNSHIP

S. Sterling McMillan III (trustee), Clark Road, to S. Sterling McMillan III (trustee) and The Private Trust Company N.A. (trustee), $92,500. (38.36 acres)

Windsor Road Land LLC, 9584 Auburn Road, to Shawn and Amber McKone, $309,900. (1.44 acres)

CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Thomas Mark and Stephanie Ann Kaufman, 12150 Heath Road, to Chelsea Marie Walsh, Joseph T. Ciresi, and Martha Ciresi, $315,000. (1.60 acres)

Pucella Home Improvement LLC, 11191 Winding Brook Lane, to Brian and Kristen Boss, $453,000. (5.04 acres)

Ricky Jackson, 12470 Caves Road, to Grandview Capital LLC, $330,000. (5.00 acres)

HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP

Nathaniel M. and Rosanna M. Miller, 15960 Durkee Road, to Marc R. Detweiler and Kristina M. Miller, $225,000. (3.49 acres)

MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP

John J. and Fanny E. Yoder, 15280 Shedd Road, to Jason R. and Martha D. Miller, $380,000. (3.82 acres)

MIDDLEFIELD VILLAGE

NVR Inc., 15256 Woodsong Drive, to William and Denise Staler, $287,100. (0.21 acres)

Kathryn E., Terry L., and Patrick M. Barton, 15539 Nantucket Drive, to Brian Guarniere, $162,000. (0.00 acres)

MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP

Daniel H. and Michelle M. Grabinski, 17485 Burrows Road, to Andrew J. and Jessica L. Wiser, $362,500. (2.03 acres)

MUNSON TOWNSHIP

Penrose R. and Kristin W. Wolf, 10729 Allen Drive, to Martin A. Wearsch, $466,000. (3.06 acres)

Darrel Kangas, 11945 Bean Road, to Abbey E. Katz, $310,000. (2.08 acres)

Joesph S. and Catherine A. Parisi (trustees), 11955 Epping Trail, to Lucas Nkola Zotegouon and Yolanda Nebinsem Nkola, $945,000. (5.03 acres)

Damon Daugherty, 11612 Wilson Mills Road, to Mario Anthony Patete, $255,000. (4.00 acres)

NEWBURY TOWNSHIP

Tyler J. and Jennifer A. Zella, 10546 Bell St., to Kendra and Joshua Williams, $585,000. (2.00 acres)

P. & S. Dock Inc., 10614 Kinsman Road, to HHMS Properties LLC, $415,000. (2.72 acres)

PARKMAN TOWNSHIP

Jason R. Miller and Martha Detweiler, 17344 Reynolds Road, to Marlin S. and Sara F. Byler, $280,000. (2.20 acres)

SOUTH RUSSELL VILLAGE

James V. Guddy (trustee), 535 Manor Brook Drive, to Paul G. and Lauren A. Eagar, $1,100,000. (0.65 acres)

Rebecca J. Giles, 111 Fairview Road, to Barbara L. Wilson, $281,000. (0.36 acres)

David and Julia Lewinski (trustees), 106 Champion Lane, to Mitchell and Abigail R. Prentis, $905,100. (2.26 acres)

Classifieds

AUTOS & PARTS

For Sale: ‘75 Corvette, has brake issues. Text 440-2140116.

BUYING CARS: $Cash$ Paid for cars, trucks, classic cars, tractors, garden tractors, construction equipment running or not, scrap, cleanups. 440-465-8795.

FOR RENT

Auburn: 1BR apartment, includes laundry room and attached garage. No pets. No smoking. $950/mo. Call 440-221-0649.

CHESTERLAND: 3-bedroom ranch, 2.5 car garage, family room, fireplace, laundry room, central air, gas heat, West Geauga schools. No pets. No Smoking. Showing now. $1,800/mo. 440-465-2340.

Remodeling: 5BR, 2BA. Includes laundry room, rec room or 6th BR, basement, garage. Large closets, 2 are walk-in. No pets, No smoking. Huntsburg. 440-6365747.

FOR SALE

Cat Tower: 78” tall, 2 cubbies, 3 shelves, 1 hammock. $40. Montville area. Leave message at 440-346-7708.

Burial Plot: Double Depth, Western Reserve Memorial Gardens, Old Rugged Cross section 201A. $2,000/ OBO. 440-321-6925.

Patio Set: 42” High Top, 4 swivel chairs, cushions and umbrella. All cast aluminum, must see. $350/OBO. 440-223-6056.

DEER HUNTERS: (40) Deer Hunter and (73) Bow Hunter Magazines. Vintage, Excellent Condition. Great reading and informational. Harvest that Big One!! Inquire. 440223-9471.

Two burial plots at Western Reserve Memorial Gardens with full package: 2 vaults, 2 caskets, dual memorial headstone; $7,400. 440-476-0706.

Antique Curio Cabinet: glass sides, glass door, mirror back, 8 adjustable shelves, 85” tall, 22” wide, 17” deep, Excellent Condition, very unique; $480. 440554-5731.

Family Burial Plot for sale. All Souls Cemetery. Serene location in prime section. Section 16. 216-440-8743. Engine Hoist: 2 ton. w/8-ton long ram cylinder. $250. 440-487-2955.

Wood and Weekend Woodworker Magazines; $0.50 cents/each. Hardcover Woodworker Projects and Backyard Builders Books; $3-$5/each. Stones, all sizes; make offer. Wooden pallets, Free. 440-548-2657.

Shotgun: Remington 870 Super Mag 12-ga w/scope, rifled barrel, like new; Inquire. Also: 24-foot Aluminum Extension Ladder; $200. Vintage Grinding Wheel w/ stand; $300. 440-286-6878.

Jayco Quest 2004 folding camping trailer, propane tank, battery, 3-way fridge, 2-burner stovetop. $1,500/ OBO. Auburn. Text 440-591-9554.

Scooter: needs work. $200. Call 440-286-3380, ask for Chuck.

A lifetime of Cake Supplies for sale. Also, 30 yrs Photography Supplies and backgrounds. Serious buyers only. 330-984-9403, leave message if no answer.

Speakers: Two Infinity 10” woofer 4-ohm 200 watts speakers. Yamaha 200 watt receiver w/remote. $200 for all. 400-431-6944.

Tractor: Farmall A. Excellent condition, includes belly mower, very good tires, easy start, runs well. Make Offer. 440-286-3295.

New white triple track Storm Windows: perfect for home & porch enclosures (7) 30-1/4x59-1/4 $95 each. George 440-336-5044.

Pampered Chef Multi Cooker: brand new, never used. Retails $229, will sell for $150. 440-632-0518.

Great Wood Shop Hobby Wood: 100 board-feet wormy Chestnut. 200 feet planed and straight edged Black Walnut. 300 feet planed Butternut. Call to Inquire. 440336-2027.

Lake View Cemetery, 4 burial plots total (2 double lots): Cemetery Price $10,100 per dbl. Asking $8,000 each dbl. 440-729-0070.

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES

June 26-28, 9a-5p, 7695 Apple Blossom Ln, Chesterland. Multi-family sale: Women’s shoes size 9, like new. Women, girls’ clothing, household, misc furniture, western saddle, ping pong table, toys, games, hitch mounted ski rack, vintage.

June 19-21, 9a-5p, 8917 Ranch Dr, Chesterland. Multi-Family Garage Sale: households, furniture, books, tools, crafts, horsey items, misc.

June 19, 12p-5p; Jun 20-21, 9a-5p, 9483 Mulberry Rd, Chesterland. Pony Harness and cart. Cub Cadet mower. Furniture, tools, households, saddle. Vintage, Antiques, Collectibles.

UNIQUE GARAGE SALES: Weekly April - Oct, 4 buildings, Thursday thru Saturday, 9am-5pm. $1 most items. 9098 Old State Rd, (Rt 608, Chardon). Something for everyone!

June 26-28, 9a-4p, 10855 Chardon Rd, west of Chardon. Multi-Family Sale at Wilders Mobile Home Park. Don’t miss it!

June 26-29, 9a til evening, 12846 Sperry Rd, Chesterland. Huge amount of Men’s items: tools, machines, outdoor gear. Black Labrador collection and pictures.

June 26-27, 13105 Woodcrest Ln, Chesterland. Not your average garage sale: electronics, sports equipment, home and holiday décor, toys and much more. Good stuff for everyone.

June 20-21, 10a-3p, 9600 Fairmount Rd, Russell. 3-Estates Sale: 70yrs collecting. Downsizing. Antiques, collectibles, miscellaneous items. Cash Only.

June 26-28, 9a-3p, 8710 Maple Glen, Chardon. Moving Sale: households, furniture, bikes, tools, table saw, nail guns, compressor. 38 years accumulation.

June 21-22, 12p-4p, 14620 Russell Ln, Russell, 44072. Estate/Yard Sale: Large variety of items available, come and see!

June 26-28, 8a-4:30p, 11085 Taylor Wells Rd, Chardon. Barn & Yard Sale: Longaberger, glider, furniture, country/patriotic decor, weight/exercise equip., roto tiller, portable basketball hoop, books, jewelry. Free Stuff!

June 19-21, 9a-3p, 7816 Fairmount Rd, Novelty. Huge Multi-Family Garage Sale: Priced to sell! Vintage toys, collectibles and fishing gear. Furniture, households, camping, much more.

June 19-21, 9a-6p, 11800 Clark Rd, Chardon, off Ravenna Rd. Multi Family, lots of TOOLS, toys, housewares, clothes, bikes, electronics.

June 26-28, 9a-4p, 8345 Belle Vernon Drive, Russell. Furniture, home decor, housewares, jewelry, accessories, clothing, shoes, books, games, puzzles and much more! Also selling perennials and garden art.

June 19-20 9a-4p; June 21 9a-2p, 11205 Sutton Place, Munson. 3-Family Garage Sale: furniture, clothes, households, 30-ft motor home, many misc items!

HELP WANTED

Help Wanted: Brush Hogging, small pasture. Chardon area. 440-286-3840.

PETS & ANIMALS

PASTURE RAISED BROILER CHICKENS: Available July 23. Order now: 3.25 pound whole bird. Rome, Oh 44085. Call/text Ian 440-387-9857.

2 Nigerian Dwarf Nanny Goats: Dehorned, very cute, friendly, 1 yr old, $250 each /OBO. Call or text 440881-6332.

Tux & Bea: bonded pair of 9-yo Tuxedo cats, need indoor home. Tux is a lap cat. Bea is more shy. Both fixed. Rebecca 440-321-2485.

MISCELLANEOUS

FREE fact: smoking, vaping, or marijuana EDIBLES lead to significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke! Marijuana damages your heart! Newbury Township 2025 High School Graduates: Newbury Cares, Inc. is offering a $1,000 scholarship. Pick up an application at Newbury Town Hall before June 20th.

REAL ESTATE

Local Investor will pay fair cash price for homes or land in any condition. Fast closing. Call or text 440-3460161 today.

Homes & Land Wanted: any condition or situation! Fast, friendly, local. Serving Geauga and surrounding counties. Text or call Wayne at 330-269-9595.

Mobile Home For Sale! You move it off our Marblehead Ohio property. 1980 Holly Park 14 x 70. New kitchen, hardwood floor and carpet, new ac/furnace in 2020. 330-307-4130.

SERVICES

Ed’s Painting, Plastering & Power Washing: Quality Work. Reasonable Rates. Interior and Exterior. Call Ed today at 216-323-6744. Free Estimates!

Certified Caregiver: will do in home care, laundry, housekeeping, and cooking. 440-313-1804.

Team R Painting: We are here to meet all your interior and exterior painting needs! Give Jaden a call at 330531-3870 for your free quote today!

Albert’s Complete Tree Service: 45+yrs experience! Competent in all aspects of Arboriculture, Forestry and Land Clearing. Also, Firewood, Excavation and Sewer Work. Free Estimates. 440-687-5404.

WANTED TO BUY

Motorcycles and parts wanted to buy, call Steve 440488-7924.

4-wheelers, 3-wheelers, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, go-carts, golf carts, gators, farm tractors/equipment, trailers, riding mowers, snowplows. Paying cash. 440-413-3119. Also, scrap cleanup and removal.

Old fishing tackle wanted: fishing lures (wood or plastic), mouse to bear traps, wooden duck decoys. Call Lee 440-313-8331.

Buying all Stanley Bailey planes. Call Karl at 440-8123392.

Wanted to Buy: Smaller size manure spreader. 440829-1856.