Carry On, Stay Strong
Dear Berkshire High School GSA members,
You have started a wonderful inclusive community and you should be proud. You saw a need in your community and you are finding a way to fill it. The attempts by some in the Burton community to isolate the LGBTQ youth in reaction to your advocacy just shows how much this alliance is needed.
Sadly, this reaction is not unique. In Chesterland, someone is repeatedly stealing the Rainbow flag that is outside the Community Church. Thankfully, the church has a lot of supporters and usually within hours after the flag is noticed missing it is replaced.
Please know that you are supported beyond measure. There will always be critics and obstacles. But as Roosevelt so correctly stated, “it is not the critic that counts…”
Carry on and stay strong.
Alumni of Berkshire High School:
Heather Fisher, Chesterland
Meredith Klemencic Kronenberg, Solon
Paulette Hare, Chardon
Steve Hare, Chardon
Tammy Palumbo Warner, Painesville Township
Jackson Hare, Chardon
Samantha Pinzone, Burton
Jennifer Anderson, Burton
Gage Green, Austintown
Pam Schmidt Strohmeyer, Amherst
Randi Gilmore, Willoughby
Cennidie Hall, Akron
Rev Jenni Vinecourt, Burton
Matt Burt, Columbus
Kimberly Florio, Albuquerque, N.M.
Colleen Grover, Park City, Utah
Madelyn Carver, Akron
Debra Warner Prvanovic, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Michael Green, Rittman
Leslie Kellogg Smetana, Chardon
Water Problems from Inception
In response to “Residents Speak Out On Flooding In South Russell Village” in the June 17, 2021, edition of the Maple Leaf, I would to provide the following comments.
The fundamental problem is that development of The Preserve (formerly known as Emerald Lakes II) was built in wetlands and even the construction was fraught with water problems.
The building of the Alderwood Trail road in the early 1990s failed twice, and that was even before homes had been started.
The Preserve HOA does not want to take any responsibility for this history and seeks to place blame everywhere else. The area elevations clearly show water draining into The Preserve from the north and from the east, which is why that location was marsh/wetlands in the first place.
The deck that I presented in the June 14, 2021, South Russell council meeting can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k9Fc8uS8qzip7fbecJsfxemesC8LwNuU/view
The prior South Russell mayor and engineer already commented on this exact topic in January 2014 with:
- “Waterfrom the pond was not spilling over onto the Teaberry side, yet there was still water standingover in the Teaberry backyards.”
- “Mayor said there is an issue with waterin the backyards of the residents on Teaberry that they would have even if there was no pond that existedon Anglers Drive. Engineer said that whole area was a wetland/marsh area when it was developed.”
Doug Meil
South Russell Village
Nothing Better to Do
Too bad Geauga Park Director John Oros does not have anything better to do with his time than to lambast good conservationists. The latest victim is Dave Partington, an individual who is exemplary in working to promote the running of our parks the way the law intended, protecting natural areas and good conservation not spending millions of dollars on buildings and amusements with the attendant neglect of protecting endangered and threatened species.
Mr. Oros can’t even manage to follow the law in regard to Ohio’s Sunshine Laws, even when he is notified of his violations. The latest instance of serial law breaking took place at the last commissioners meeting this month. See the video of him violating the law when he specifies going into executive session for at least one reason that is not allowed by law.
What are you trying to keep secret Mr. Oros? Video is on the Protect Geauga Parks website.
Can Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz not at the very least straighten Mr. Oros out?
In the word of The Donald, “So sad.”
John G. Augustine
Parkman Township
Get Involved in Scouting
I am a member of Scout Troop 99, stationed in Newbury Township, and I would like to tell you why I think scouting is a great opportunity for many people.
One of the bigger parts of scouting is merit badges, which can offer unique opportunities to try something new, like the Space Exploration merit badge, where I learned about space and we got to launch model rockets.
Another example is the Snow Sports merit badge, where I got to try snowshoes while hiking through the snow.
A second big part is the campouts you go on where you get to stay overnight at a preplanned location and do activities like whitewater rafting or camping in a cave. There are also campouts where you go for a week like the summer camp, where they offer merit badges and other fun things like boating, swimming and archery.
There are also high-adventure camps like Sea Base, where we are going this summer. At Sea Base we will be staying on a sailboat for a week in the Florida Keys and fishing and snorkeling each day.
Lastly, we participate in community service projects. In the past year, I have cooked for a homeless shelter, did landscape work for a local church, decorated veteran graves for Memorial Day and did a flag retirement ceremony.
I’d encourage anyone who likes adventure and being outside to get involved in scouting.
Austin Clute
Chardon Township
Thank You, Newbury
To the people of Newbury Township, thank you for attending this year’s recent Memorial Day parade.
To the participants of the Newbury Township Memorial Day parade, thank you for participating.
To those that helped make it happen, thank you.
Most important, to all veterans, thank you!
It is both and honor and a pleasure to be your grand marshal. See you next year!
Dean L. Eppley
Newbury Township
Open Letter to Congressman Joyce
On May 19, 2021, you voted in favor of HR3233, the national commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol complex. The Republican Party leader requested all Republicans vote “no” on this commission.
Mr. Joyce, the Republicans of Geauga County voted for you to represent us in the House. You are not representing the people of Geauga County by voting against the party’s request, no matter what you personally think. You are not doing your job. You are being paid by us to remain true to the Republican Party. Only in unity can we win.
In your January newsletter, you stated the election was fair and we should just get on with our lives. The election was not fair in so many, many ways. Anyone with half a brain could see right through this sham of an election. Who would ever think this could happen in the USA. President Trump did not have to tell us it was unfair, we knew.
The more than 100,000 Republicans who turned out to support our president, some from Geauga, were there to show him support peacefully. The few that were in the Capitol building were renegades. My husband Bib and I watched the whole event on Fox and Newsmax because no other stations would broadcast President Trump. Remember Facebook and Twitter banned the President of the USA. Unbelievable!
I will save the government a lot of money on a commission to investigate Jan. 6. The unfair election caused the backlash. Americans are used to a democratic, fair election when electing a president of the United States of America. We will not have our freedoms trampled on. We are one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.
Mr. Joyce, you may have voted yourself out of a seat in the House.
God Bless America.
Phyllis Sedlak
Chardon
