A table full of battery-operated toys sat in a classroom Tuesday at Elyria High School just waiting to be played with, but students who ripped and tugged at the toys’ plush fabric and wiring underneath were not looking to amuse themselves.

Elyria High School sophomores William Bailey, 16, and Lindsey Broussard, 15, laugh as their toy begins to sing when they accidentally connected two pieces of wire on Tuesday afternoon. About high school science students volunteered to re-engineer and adapt the toys for students with disabilities during a workshop hosted by Medina-based RePlay for Kids. (KRISTIN BAUER / GAZETTE)

The nearly 60 sophomore, junior and senior science students had volunteered to re-engineer and adapt the toys for students with disabilities during a workshop hosted by Medina-based RePlay for Kids. The simple circuitry work will allow the nonprofit organization to distribute the toys to the Murray Ridge School and Children’s Development Center.

“Adaptive toys are very expensive and are not always of good quality,” said Natalie Wardega, RePlay for Kids director of operations. “The students with disabilities that receive these toys will be able to learn the relationship between cause and effect. They will learn if you hit a switch, you can make Elmo or a snowman giggle. With that skill, they can learn that if they hit a switch, they can turn on a light or activate a communication device.”

It’s something simple that 16-year-old William Bailey said he takes for granted.

He learned about the afterschool workshop from his science teacher and wanted to volunteer, even if it meant using a soldering iron, something he has never handled.

“I felt like this would be a good way to give back to the community,” he said. “Everyone deserves a toy.”

Most of the students who met in the second-floor classroom were a part of the EHS Science Olympiad, an extracurricular group that meets all year to prepare for science competitions.

“We love building things,” said Ysbelle Yrad, 16, a junior who is the club’s vice president. “The Science Olympiad meets every day after school Monday through Thursday, and we have built a glider, catapult and bridge by working together.”

RePlay for Kids sought out Elyria High’s help after it was awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Lorain County to host a local workshop. Kathy Koepp, the district’s science and mathematics content specialist, said she visited one workshop to see how the concept works and knew it would be a perfect fit for Elyria students.

“This is truly one of the most amazing workshops I’ve ever seen,” she said. “Our students will make battery-operated toys accessible for children with disabilities. The toys are used to teach young children how to use switches so they can eventually operate adaptive technologies such as wheelchairs.”

Koepp said she hoped 30 kids would sign up. She ended up with 59 students.

“This room is full of students working for free, after school and for a good cause,” she said.

Before the work of refiguring the toys could take place — a process that included cutting away the fabric near the control box, exposing the wires and attaching a different, simpler control — Wardega walked students through the process.

“How many of you have ever used a soldering iron?” she asked and saw a few hands shoot up in the air. “We’re going to change that.”

Contact reporter Lisa Roberson at (440) 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com .

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A Litchfield Township man pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, burglary and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor Monday in Medina County Common Pleas Court.

Casey Dimitrov, 21, of the 8500 block of Branch Road, was charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in September. On March 25, a Medina County grand jury indicted him on fourth-degree felony charges of engaging in sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 13 and 16.

On Nov. 5, a grand jury added seven more charges, including rape and burglary, first- and second-degree felonies, and five additional counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, fourth-degree felonies. The indictment alleges the crimes took place in October 2013 and February.

County Prosecutor Dean Holman said the rape victim was a 15-year-old girl. He said the unlawful sexual conduct charges stem from crimes against the 15-year-old and another girl.

On Monday, Dimitrov entered a not guilty plea before Judge Christopher J. Collier and a trial date was set for 9 a.m. Jan. 12.

If found guilty of rape, Dimitrov faces a sentence of between three and 10 years. The charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor carry a punishment of between six and 18 months each, and his burglary charge carries a sentence of between two and eight years.

Dimitrov is being held at the Medina County Jail on $45,000 bail. A motion to reduce the bond was denied in October.

Dimitrov also was charged in a separate burglary case in September. That case is pending in Judge James L. Kimbler’s court. A trail date has not been set, but the third-degree felony charge carries a sentence of one to three years.

Contact reporter Loren Genson at (330) 721-4063 or lgenson@medina-gazette.com. Follow her on Twitter @lorengenson.

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Highland school officials have agreed to a compensation plan from Discount Drug Mart as part of a 14-year tax abatement planned in Sharon Township.

The agreement calls for Discount Drug Mart to pay the school district $3,500 annually over 14 years for a total of $49,000.

The Medina County Economic Development Corp. brokered a deal for a 50 percent tax abatement for 14 years for a new drugstore, planned for the west side of Medina Line Road, south of state Route 18. Construction is expected to begin in the spring.

The 28,000-square-foot store is expected to open in the fall of 2015 and bring nine full-time jobs and 16 part-time jobs. An additional seven full-time jobs and 13 part-time jobs will be added during the second to third year of operation.

A total of $950,000 in annual payroll is expected for the store. The building is expected to cost $3.5 million to construct.

Sharon Township trustees approved the agreement Nov. 11, and the Highland school board signed the agreement at its meeting Monday.

The store would be built in a 223-acre “community reinvestment area” approved earlier this year in the northeastern portion of Sharon Township designed to make the township more competitive with Summit County and Interstate 77.

The reinvestment area allows for officials to approve 50 percent tax abatements for commercial and industrial projects for up to 14 years. The CRA also can provide 100 percent tax abatements on home improvements for up to five years.

County economic development director Bethany Dentler said the CRA helps make the township competitive with neighboring Summit County and development near I-77. It is one of four CRAs in the township, but it’s the closest CRA to I-77 and Fairlawn.

“This is exactly the reason the township put the CRA in place, so they could be more competitive for those chances on the CRA corridor,” Dentler said.

Now that the tax abatement has won approval from the township and school district, it’s up to Medina County commissioners to grant their approval. At a meeting Tuesday, commissioners signaled that approval could come next week.

Earlier this year, commissioners approved an abatement for a $10.2 million dispatch center in Sharon Township for Seville-based Panther Trucking, bringing 330 new employees and $1.2 million in payroll to the northeast corner of Medina County.

Sharon isn’t the first township to approve tax abatements for new Discount Drug Mart stores. In 2013, Montville Township trustees approved a 50 percent tax abatement for the Discount Drug Mart on state Route 3, just south of the city of Medina, for 15 years.

Contact reporter Loren Genson at (330) 721-4063 or lgenson@medina-gazette.com. Follow her on Twitter @lorengenson.

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Medina County commissioners met with Cleveland officials Tuesday to talk trash. Three members of Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson’s staff came to Medina to propose Medina County’s trash be turned into fuel.

Jenita McGowan, chief of sustainability for Cleveland, said the city has been considering ways to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills since 2007. She said the city is in the middle of a bid process to contract out for the design, build, ownership and operation of a waste reduction and recycling facility for the city, which they hope to open by 2018.

Part of the city’s contract would include turning non-recyclable waste into fuel for the city to sell to Cleveland Steam and Electric Co., better known as Cleveland Thermal.

Cleveland Thermal then would shut down its coal-burning facility and switch to a combined heat and power plant, thereby reducing air pollution.

The only problem is the city doesn’t generate enough waste for Cleveland Thermal to make the project feasible. Cleveland Thermal officials say they need 292,000 tons per year of fuel, which would mean 680,000 tons per year of solid waste. Cleveland only generates 230,000 tons of waste annually.

McGowan, along with the mayor’s Chief of Staff Ken Silliman and Chief Operating Officer Darnell Brown, said they want to add Medina County’s 130,000 tons per year of solid waste to the total being turned into fuel.

They gave three options to Medina County commissioners:

• expand the recycling center so it could handle both Medina County’s and Cleveland’s solid waste;

• send all of the county’s waste to Cleveland to be processed for a tipping fee of about $50 per ton;

• produce engineered fuel from Medina County’s solid waste and deliver it to Cleveland Thermal.

Even with Medina County’s waste, Cleveland still would only be at half of what its needs to make the 680,000 tons per year. Silliman said the city is looking to “private entities” to come up with the other half.

County Sanitary Engineer Amy Lyon-Galvin said the Cleveland officials did not specify a date for when they needed an answer from Medina County.

“We’ll have to have more discussions,” she said.

Commissioner Pat Geissman said she was concerned about Medina County partnering with Cleveland.

“They were asking for a

15-year guarantee of some sort and I would like to know more about that before we make a decision because that’s a long commitment,” she said.

Geissman also is not in favor of shipping trash to Cleveland because it would mean abandoning operation of the county’s recycling center.

“I think the Medina County Board of Commissioners need(s) to stay in control of the Central Processing Facility,” Geissman said.

Before the commissioners’ discussion session with Cleveland, county residents and township trustees spoke against commissioners possibly turning the recycling center into a transfer station that would ship the county’s trash to a landfill.

Lafayette Township Trustee Lynda Bowers said residents have approached her wanting to know the exact amount of recycled materials that aren’t going to a landfill now and how many county jobs would be affected if the center becomes a transfer station.

According to the county Sanitary Engineer’s Office, the county recycled 6 percent of solid waste transported to the facility in 2012. About 9 percent of the waste was turned into compost and about 2 percent was made into engineered fuel.

Commissioners voted last week to advertise for bids from companies interested in operating the facility as a transfer station. Lyon-Galvin said they will open the bids Dec. 1.

The county’s contract with Cleveland-based Envision Waste, operating company of the recycling center in Westfield Township, will end Jan. 11.

Commissioner Adam Friedrick said the commissioners’ goal for the future of the facility is to increase recycling and community involvement while reducing the “tipping fee.”

Lyon-Galvin said she would create a fact sheet about the county’s recycling to distribute to the townships. She said county officials also set up a meeting for Monday with city mayors and township trustees to discuss the future of the recycling center.

Contact reporter Katie Anderson at (330) 721-4012 or kanderson@medina-gazette.com.

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The Montville Township trustees are moving forward with the transformation of the unused Blue Heron golf course into a public park.

Trustees purchased an additional parcel for $25,000 from 6061 River Styx LLC, the company that owned the golf course, which closed in 2012. The land will serve as a separate entrance to the park off River Styx Road.

The purchase was finalized at a special meeting of trustees Wednesday afternoon.

The addition of the parcel to the park clears up concerns about security and privacy voiced by C&C Associates, the firm that will operate the former clubhouse as offices.

The township entered into a $500,000 lease-purchase agreement with C&C Associates in May and put $132,000 down on 20 parcels. The township agreed with C&C to pay $1 a year plus property taxes until the balance of the $500,000 was paid off.

The township hoped to have the contract signed before Nov. 21, the deadline for filing for grants with the Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Fund.

The township applied for the grant earlier this year but only was awarded $87,000. Trustees turned the offer down because if they accepted it, they would not have been able to reapply this week.

“We are certainly hopeful we will get it this time,” project manager Terry Grice said.

The township will apply for $393,000 of the $1.7 million available to the ninth district of the Natural Resource Assistance Council, the entity that distributed the Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Fund money.

Contact reporter Andrew Davis at (330) 721-4050 or adavis@medina-gazette.com.

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With the holidays just around the corner, the Medina County Historical Society will host a Victorian Christmas at the John Smart House Museum that begins this weekend during Medina’s Candlelight Walk festivities.

Historical society volunteer Joann King said the event is 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and the next two Sundays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.

Joann King of the Medina Historical Society sits by the traditional Christmas tree on display at the John Smart House, 206 N. Elmwood Ave., across the street from Medina City Hall. (NANCY JOHNSON / GAZETTE)

“We invite the public to come to our Victorian Christmas, enjoy the music, watch the characters and get into the spirit of the season,” King said. “We will also host a Christmas tea on Dec. 13. We invite mothers, grandmothers, daughters and granddaughters to come enjoy an afternoon tea with us.”

This year’s Victorian Christmas will focus on the families who lived in the John Smart house from 1887 to 1935. Visitors will have a chance to meet a Victorian Santa, enjoy seasonal music and view special displays and period decorations.

“This year we’re adding a special touch to our Victorian Christmas — living historical characters,” King said.

Members of the historical society will play various characters associated with the Smart House, including Anna Smart. She will be depicted in a Victorian version of “Say Yes to the Dress.”

“Anna will be in her bedroom choosing between two period wedding gowns,” King said. “Visitors will be able to help her make the decision.”

Another former resident, Addie Jackson, will be portrayed with her many hats. Jackson was a Medina milliner, or hat-maker, who set up shop on the west side of Medina’s square.

“She was a milliner for at least 50 years,” King said. “From the Civil War era into the very early 20th century.”

Visitors to the Smart House will have a chance to explore eight rooms, all decorated for Christmas with a festive Victorian theme.

The historical society also will offer items for sale including wreaths, trees and other decor.

“We will have about seven items to raffle, including artwork and two Christmas trees, one decorated with mittens,” King said.

Music will be provided by Steve Ball, a Civil War re-enactor and guitarist who will sing Christmas carols and tell the stories behind the music. On Nov. 30, five harpists will play Christmas carols.

The Smart House was built for John Smart in 1886. Smart, who moved to Medina from Troy, New York, in about 1871, owned the Holloware Foundry where he made iron skillets, kettles and other housewares. The foundry was on Foundry Street in Medina.

“We have one of his iron kettles on the kitchen stove,” King said.

The Smarts moved into the Queen Anne-style home, 206 N. Elmwood Ave., in 1887. The house included an indoor bathroom and coal-fueled central heating — both innovative ideas at the time.

When the Smarts’ two daughters married and relocated to Cleveland, the Smarts moved from the house to live closer to their daughters.

Milliner Jackson lived in the Smart house from approximately 1900 to 1913.

After Jackson’s death, Gazette owner and editor William Benson Baldwin and his wife, Leonora, lived in the house.

The William Hammerschmidt family purchased the house in 1926. The family cultivated and sold chrysanthemums, geraniums and other plants.

“Their extensive greenhouse was located where Rite-Aid is now on North Court Street,” King said. “The Depression made it difficult for the Hammerschmidt family and they were forced to move to a smaller home just behind the Smart House.”

From the 1930s to the early 1980s, the Smart House had a succession of occupants, first serving as a rental, then a lodge for the Fraternal Order of Eagles and later as the offices for the Medina County Board of Education.

In 1984, the Medina County Historical Society moved in and restored the exterior and interior of the house.

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

Many of the Christmas traditions recognized today originated in the 19th century, most notably during the Victorian era, 1837 to 1901.

Queen Victoria’s royal Christmas tree, a tradition her husband, Prince Albert, brought from his native Germany, inspired Americans to decorate pine trees in their homes.

With the 1843 publication of “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens delighted readers with his depiction of Christmas as a warm, family holiday filled with merriment and goodwill.

The advent wreath became popular during the Victorian era. Its four candles symbolized belief, good fortune, love and peace. Today the wreath most often is used as a door decoration during the holidays.

The first Christmas cards were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole and illustrated by John Callcott Horsley in London in 1843.

When “A Visit from St. Nick” (“The Night Before Christmas”) appeared in Clement Clarke Moore’s 1844 book of poems, it depicted Christmas as a holiday of sugar plum dreams, a sleigh full of toys and a jolly St. Nick.

In 1881, “Harpers Weekly” political cartoonist Thomas Nast illustrated the rosy-cheeked, red-suited Santa Claus known today — a cultural icon that has endured for more than a century.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

Victorian Christmas
WHAT: Medina County Historical Society presents Victorian Christmas.
WHEN: 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.
WHERE: John Smart House Museum, 206 N. Elmwood Ave., Medina. The museum is not handicapped accessible.
COST: Tickets are $5 and free for children ages 5 and younger. Group tours available by appointment. Wreaths, trees and other decor will be available for purchase. Cash or check only. Proceeds benefit the historical society.
INFO: Call (330) 722-1341.

Mother-Daughter Tea
WHAT: Medina County Historical Society will host a Christmas Mother-Daughter Tea.
WHEN: 2 p.m. Dec. 13.
WHERE: John Smart House in Medina.
PROGRAM: Following a selection of tea sandwiches and desserts, local historian Laura Loew will present a program about a child’s Victorian Christmas. Mothers and daughters of all ages are invited.
COST: $20 per person. To make a reservation, mail a check to the Medina County Historical Society, P.O. Box 306, Medina, OH 44258, or call (330) 722-1341.

Contact reporter Nancy Johnson at (330) 721-4065 or areanews@medina-gazette.com.

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Tom Adams of the Brunswick Parks Department installs a snowflake light along Center Road on Wednesday afternoon. Adams said crews will be working to complete the installation of lights this week and the snowflakes are scheduled to light up next Wednesday. (LOREN GENSON / GAZETTE)

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The recovering economy is bringing more then just shops and restaurants to Medina County. It’s bringing a new hotel.

Foundation work began for the Fairfield Inn and Suites, 3125 Eastpointe Drive, west of the Interstate 71 interchange with state Route 18 in Medina Township, at the beginning of the month.

Battling snow and cold weather, employees with Modern Poured Walls Construction Services Inc. work Wednesday on the new Fairfield Inn and Suites, 3125 Eastpointe Drive, Medina Township. The hotel is scheduled to open next summer. (KATIE ANDERSON / GAZETTE)

The owner, Aashish Patel of Sunrise Hospitality Inc., of Perrysburg, said the hotel will have 76 rooms, an indoor pool, a fitness room and a meeting room.

Construction will cost about $4 million and the furniture will cost another $1 million, he said.

The two-acre property was purchased for $395,000 in 2008 by a sister company, Ontario Hospitality Inc.

Patel said “because the economy went downhill,” the company never broke ground on it or built the hotel.

His wasn’t the only business stalled by the Great Recession. The Montville Centre shopping plaza, on the east side of the I-71/Route 18 interchange in Montville Township at Windfall Road, remained largely vacant for five years after construction. But in the last year, the shopping plaza has been nearly filled. New occupants include two restaurants, On Tap and the 111 Bistro; a Master Pizza franchise; Fastsign, a graphic advertising firm; and a Bankers Life and Casualty Co. office.

Patel said the improving economy is the reason the hotel is going forward.

“The hotel industry is doing well now,” he said. “We did a study on our own and thought it would be a good time to build.

“There are always ups and downs and right now there is not enough supply for the demand.”

Sunrise Hospitality bought the land from its sister company for $397,000 last December and held a ceremonial groundbreaking two weeks ago after securing a permit from the county Oct. 27.

Patel said Sunrise Hospitality, which has been in business for more than 20 years, has built seven hotels in Ohio and Michigan in the past four years.

Patel said he hopes construction will be completed in July or August of next year.

Contact reporter Katie Anderson at (330) 721-4012 or kanderson@medina-gazette.com.

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Theater has been a recurring theme in the lives of Nicole Ellesin and her husband, Donald. They both participated in theater productions in high school and college, and they met while performing in community theater in 2003.

They performed in many shows together and even got engaged on stage before marrying in 2007.

Members of the Wadsworth Theatre Company rehearse for their Nov. 30 production of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” From left, Chuck Peery III (George Bailey), Jordan Pitts (Mary Hatch Bailey), Jay Sigler (Ernie Bishop), Anna Lambert (Frankie) and Kyle Callahan (Clarence). (PHOTO PROVIDED)

A Wadsworth native, Donald Ellesin wanted to bring theater to his hometown. And that’s exactly what he and his wife plan to do Nov. 30 when the Wadsworth Theatre Company performs its first play, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

The play will be performed in the ballroom of the Galaxy Restaurant, 102 Park Center Drive. The Galaxy can seat hundreds and has sold 50 $10 tickets.

Nicole Ellesin said she and her husband, who now live in Medina, started the company earlier this year and achieved nonprofit status in August. She said they wanted adults and children to have the opportunity to experience theater the way they have.

“There’s a great love of theater in our community,” she said.

Ellesin said she and Donald wanted “It’s a Wonderful Life” to be their first production.

“It was a nice family Christmas show and it’s always been a favorite for me and my husband,” she said. “We decided on the weekend after Thanksgiving because it’s the start of the holiday season.

“This play will give people a fresh start to the holiday season with the right thinking behind it.”

The 30-member cast consists mostly of Wadsworth residents and children who auditioned in October, Ellesin said.

She said after they posted audition notices on Facebook, they received enthusiastic feedback from interested residents. The group has been practicing three hours, four days a week since October.

Ellesin said they had trouble coming up with the funds to land their first venue for the production. The production, including props, costumes, venue and the rights to the script is costing the company about $4,000.

“We were going to have to cancel the show but the cast members didn’t want to,” she said.

Ellesin said they were able to connect with the Galaxy and so it’s curtains up.

Tickets can be purchased at www.galaxyrestaurant.com and at the Galaxy Restaurant.

Contact reporter Katie Anderson at (330) 721-4012 or kanderson@medina-gazette.com.

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Mapleside Farms owners Greg and Kelly Clement want to add banquet facilities to their 100-acre farm next year and expand their apple orchards.

“When we bought Mapleside in 2010, I always saw it as a destination,” Greg Clement said.

Greg and Kelly Clement, owners of Mapleside Farms in Brunswick, stand on the site where they hope to construct a new barn this spring. (LOREN GENSON / GAZETTE)

The farm has well-attended concerts and fall festivals, they said, and visitors also can enjoy a hilltop view overlooking a valley of apple orchards.

Mapleside hosts weddings, but Greg Clement said they don’t have a facility for large receptions.

“We have brides come to us all the time and want to have their ceremony here,” he said. “When it comes to hosting a reception, we can’t really do it.”

The only space available is a basement floor of the Orchard House restaurant that opens out into the parking lot. The space can accommodate up to 120 people.

Next month, the Orchard House will become an indoor venue for weddings, corporate events and showers. It will be called The Lodge and include a second-story porch with a view of the vineyard.

The Clements envision keeping the large downstairs bar intact, and a large open space on the first floor near a fireplace will become a dance floor.

“We can accommodate around 200 inside,” he said.

An upstairs wine bar in the restaurant will be moved to a basement floor, which will be used as a smaller venue called The Cellar.

Outside, the Clements are working with the city of Brunswick to rezone a section of property to construct a barn to host outdoor weddings and events. Greg Clement said the barn would be available for any type of event, not just weddings.

“I call them shindigs,” he said. “We can host any kind of shindig.”

The barn would be constructed on the northern section of the property adjacent to the parking lot and overlooking the orchards. A west wall could be opened for access to a deck and patio.

“It would be this huge, big opening, but it could also be closed if it was cold or windy,” he said.

There aren’t that many barn venues on an active farm this close to two major cities, Clement said.

“We think it’s unique and it’s not that far from either Cleveland or Akron,” he said. “We’re hoping people are excited about it.”

The farm will be working with Strongsville-based A Taste of Excellence, owned by Bill and Dawn Rini, to cater food for events.

“They said there’s a lack of unique venues, and so many people are looking for something different,” Clement said of the Rinis. “When you think of a farm, it’s nostalgic; it’s American. That’s the first thing that comes to your mind.”

The family will continue to host concerts and the annual fall events, such as Johnny Appleseed Festival. They’ll also be investing in adding apple trees to the more than 20 acres near the orchards.

“We’ve put in 580 trees in the last two years,” Clement said. “We have about 5,000 now and we want to get to between 8,000 and 10,000.”

The trees will be added over time because they need such special attention during the first few years after planting. Apple trees typically live about 30 years, so the Clements want to make sure they keep a manageable rotation of trees.

“We don’t want to have to replace all the trees at once,” he said. “You want it to be staggered.”

Clement said he doesn’t yet know how long it might take to get his zoning changes approved, or how long it might take to build the barn, but said he hopes to have the barn open by mid-2015. The restaurant will transition into The Lodge and The Cellar in December.

For more information on the farm and upcoming events, visit www.mapleside.com.

Contact reporter Loren Genson at (330) 721-4063 or lgenson@medina-gazette.com. Follow her on Twitter @lorengenson.

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The PNC Bank, 6663 Center Road in Liverpool Township, was robbed Friday morning. It is the second bank robbery in Medina County this year.

Officials suspect the robber may be the same man who held up the FirstMerit Bank at 1105 S. Court St. in Medina in July.

“There are indications to that,” said Special Agent Vicki Anderson of the FBI’s Cleveland office. “We are not sure yet, but there are similarities,”

About 11:30 a.m. Friday, a man dressed in a hooded sweatshirt with his face covered entered the bank, jumped over the counter and took an undetermined amount of cash out of the tellers’ drawers, Medina Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ken Baca said.

The robber, who was described as wearing blue jeans and white tennis shoes, did not display a weapon.

Baca said the suspect fled in a black four-door sedan with temporary tags and headed west on Center Road. A check found the car had been reported stolen, according to the FBI.

The suspect in the July robbery was described as white, about 6 feet tall, and also fled in a black four-door sedan with temporary tags. He also jumped the counter and raided the tellers’ drawers.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the Medina County Sheriff’s Office or the FBI at (216) 522-1400. Tips can remain anonymous.

Reward money is available for tips leading to the successful identification and prosecution of the individual responsible.

Contact reporter Andrew Davis at (330) 721-4050 or adavis@medina-gazette.com.

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The Northern Medina County Service Unit of the Salvation Army is looking for volunteers and supporters to help with the annual red kettle campaign in area stores.

Red kettles will be set up in Giant Eagle, Kmart and Buehler’s stores after Thanksgiving weekend.

The money collected at the three stores will directly benefit emergency assistance outreach in Brunswick, Brunswick Hills, Hinckley and Liverpool townships.

“The money that’s raised stays locally in the community,” campaign volunteer Nick Solar said. “That’s one of the things that’s so great about it, you put money into a kettle in Brunswick, it stays in Brunswick.”

In Brunswick over the past year, more than 2,276 people received some type of assistance or support from the Salvation Army. The Northern Chapter helped 87 households keep utilities on, benefiting 331 people.

They helped an additional 63 households with rent and mortgage payments helping 166 people. 171 children were assisted with new clothing and 79 families were “adopted” at Christmas, benefiting 197 children.

If you’d like to volunteer with the red kettle campaign, call Judy VonDuyke at (330) 760-1623.

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A Lafayette Township man is facing up to a year in prison and a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty to two counts of possessing criminal tools involved in cockfighting, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Filimon Medina, of 6986 Egypt Road, came under suspicion of the Medina County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in June after receiving an anonymous complaint of a skinny horse at his home.

Once on the property, Humane Officer Mary Jo Johnson noticed evidence related to cockfighting and the SPCA launched an investigation.
DannaMarie Pannella, the attorney for the Medina County SPCA, said the investigation resulted in five charges being filed against Medina.

“When you take into account everything that was seized at the property, there was evidence of training for cockfighting at the property,” she said.

The SPCA found more than 30 roosters at Medina’s residence. Every rooster had its wattles, combs and earlobes removed.

“These anatomic structures are vascular in nature, resulting in significant blood loss during a fight,” Pannella said.

In her report, Johnson asked Medina why he had removed those parts of the roosters.

“Medina stated he did this because this was the way the roosters looked on the farm that he grew up on in Mexico. This was the way they did it in Mexico, so he did it here,” she wrote.

The roosters also had the spurs on the back of their claws removed, which makes it easier for knives and other instruments to be attached during a fight.

The SPCA did not locate any spur knives at the property but did find sparring muffs — or rooster boxing gloves — used for training roosters to fight.

“With the exception of the sparring muffs, all of the items discovered at the property had legitimate uses outside of cockfighting,” Pannella said. “The presence of sparring muffs and modified roosters changed the context in which the other items were viewed.”

Pannella compared the objects which the SPCA located to household items that could be tied together when police are trying to charge someone with manufacturing of drugs.

A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled, Pannella said the SPCA is investigating three other cases of suspected cockfighting in Medina County.

“I think it is very prevalent,” she said.

With cockfighting comes illegal gambling, prostitution and drug use, Pannella said.

“You’re fighting birds for entertainment, basically torturing them,” she said. “The issue isn’t cockfighting alone but everything with it.”

Johnson said cockfighting is an ongoing problem the SPCA is battling.

“There is still cockfighting going on,” she said. “There are areas in Lorain, Medina and Ashland where it is going on, and it is tough to nail them.”

Contact reporter Andrew Davis at (330) 721-4050 or adavis@medina-gazette.com.

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Plans for a hotel at Brunswick Town Center ran into a glitch this week after the city Planning Commission balked at proposed changes in the zoning for the site.

The changes, which were requested by City Council, are needed because the site is part of a “special planning district” that doesn’t allow hotels.

But the commission on Thursday rejected the proposal, saying the design changes were not specific enough.

“Town Center is the gem of the city,” said Joe Shirilla, chair of the commission. “We’re going to have to look at this proposal very closely.”

That surprised Town Center developer Bill Lemon of McKinley Development, who had been asked by the city two years ago to provide a detailed plan for a hotel, apartments and a senior living complex just south of Town Center Boulevard and east of Brunswick Lake.

“The city has told us consistently that they want a hotel there,” Lemmon told the Planning Commission.

But Shirilla said he only learned of the city’s 2012 Request for Proposal after Brunswick Lake resident Maryann Chandler provided documents she received through a public records request.

“The RFP was solicited in 2012, and we never heard a thing about it,” Shirilla said.
Shirilla said the special planning district designates what can be built at Town Center and must be altered to permit a hotel.

But Chandler, a Medina attorney, said the changes proposed by Council were too vague and would allow McKinley to bring everything from a budget hotel to a five-star operation.

“The guidelines in front of you are not guidelines at all,” she told the Planning Commission.

Chandler, who was among about 20 people from the Brunswick Lake neighborhood at the meeting, praised McKinley for its response to the city’s 2012 request, which includes the promise of a four-story hotel with conference/banquet space, an indoor pool and promises the new hotel would command rates of $130 per night or higher.

But she worried that the city wouldn’t require McKinley to come through on that promise.

“The contract you have with the developer doesn’t obligate them to put those items in there,” she said. “None of those things are included in the language before you.”

The city agreed to sell 18.2 acres of property to McKinley in 2013, but closing of the deal is contingent upon McKinley bringing a hotel to the site.

McKinley agreed to pay the city $1.8 million for the three parcels and in September agreed to pay a $200,000 down payment on the hotel property. If McKinley doesn’t bring a hotel to the property within three years, the city can take back the hotel parcel and keep the down payment.

The city has only one hotel, a Quality Inn on South Carpenter Road, behind Bob Evans restaurant near the Interstate 71 interchange with state Route 303.

Councilman Vince Carl, 2nd Ward, who serves as Council’s liaison to the Planning Commission, was at the meeting. When asked by Shirilla why Council wanted a hotel, Carl said it would help draw traffic to the struggling retail businesses that line Town Center Boulevard.

“We put the three projects together (apartments, senior living and hotel) because we thought it would give us uniformity across those three lots,” Carl said.

Carl said the concerns raised by Chandler about the hotel were valid.

“It’s very obvious to me that the specifications are not clear,” he said.

Commission members voted to accept the proposed changes concerning apartments and senior/assisted-living complexes but rejected the changes that would allow construction of a five-story hotel.

On Monday, Council members can override the Planning Commission with a “super majority” vote of five of the seven members.

But Carl, whose ward includes Town Center, said that was unlikely.

“In my 12 years on Council, we’ve never opted to override a ruling from the Planning Commission,” he said.

Councilman Alex Johnson, at-large, who is a resident of Brunswick Lake, said he was opposed to including a hotel at Town Center.
Johnson said he worries about the impact a budget hotel, which would be allowed under the proposed language, would have on the homes nearby.

“I sell real estate part time, I doubt anyone would want to by a home near a hotel,” Johnson said.
Johnson also said he understood that it would be hard for the city to turn down a $1.2 million purchase price.

“I understand it’s a hard decision, but sometimes that’s what being a leader is all about,” he said.

Shirilla said he hopes City Manager Tony Bales, who was appointed by Council in April, and other city officials will be more up front with Planning Commission.

“I would hope the administration learns a lesson from this,” Shirilla said.

After the meeting, Bales, who attended the meeting, acknowledged that communication between the Planning Commission and administration could have been stronger. He also said he was pleased that residents came out to raise their concerns.

“The process has worked as it’s supposed to,” he said. “This is why we have public hearings and why we have a planning commission.”

Council meets at 7:30 p.m. in Council chambers at 4095 Center Road. The committee of the whole meeting will be in the conference room behind Council chambers at 6:45 p.m.

Contact reporter Loren Genson at (330) 721-4063 or lgenson@medina-gazette.com. Follow her on Twitter @lorengenson.

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Dena McLaughlin, her daughter Taylor and hundreds more waited in the cold Friday night in Medina’s Public Square for the 30th annual Candlelight Walk Christmas tree lighting.

The McLaughlins had never attended the Candlelight festivities. The family moved to Medina in February from Canton.

“Everyone’s been talking about this all week,” Dena McLaughlin said. “It’s a small town, and I think it’s adorable that they light it all up like this. It’s a good way to start the season.”

Christmas lights, music and about 2,000 luminaria filled the square Friday night for the kickoff of Main Street Medina’s Candlelight Walk, Medina’s biggest multiday festival of the year.

Matt Wiederhold, executive director of Main Street Medina, said this year had hundreds more luminarias lining the streets of the nine-block Historic District.

“It’s beautiful, and we’re one of the only communities in the area that does a three-day festival like this,” Wiederhold said.

“People love the candles lighting the sidewalks of the historical district.”
Wiederhold said he expected up to 40,000 people to participate in the Candlelight Walk over the three days.

“It’s the kind of thing people come out for no matter what the weather’s like,” he said.

Friday night’s events began about 4 p.m. when 25 Boy Scouts of Troop 501 began lighting the candles in the thousands of luminaria.

“The Boy Scouts are all about community service and this is a community service to the city,” Dave Marvinney, scout master for Troop 501, said.

After the candles were lit, the community enjoyed a “Broadway” performance by the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Choir.
Broadway Street in the square was closed and a flatbed trailer was set up as a stage for the concert of carols.

Bundled up church members sang Christmas songs and hymns and read Nativity-related Bible verses as a swaying, dancing and singing crowd formed in the street.

“It’s fantastic for Medina, it’s fantastic to start the season off and it’s great for our church to be able to celebrate Christ’s birth and the Christmas season with the community,” said Kari Kovach, a choir member.

Hundreds of people gathered around the Christmas tree in the pavilion at 7 p.m. in anticipation of the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Gazebo at the center of Public Square and the lights on the buildings and lampposts surrounding the square.

Mayor Dennis Hanwell began his five second countdown which ended in the Hallelujah Chorus.

Bobby Nolan, 3, and his 5-year-old sister, Nora, posed for pictures while waiting for the lights.

“They understand that something fun is about to happen,” their mother, Ellen Nolan, said. “They helped light the candles on South Court Street earlier, so they’re very excited.

“It feels like the start of the holiday season and it’s fun to celebrate that,” she said.

The festivities continue 5 p.m. today with the popular Holiday Parade of Lights at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday with the candle-lighting ceremony at the Gazebo in the Public Square.

Contact reporter Katie Anderson at (330) 721-4012 or kanderson@medina-gazette.com.

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GUILFORD TOWNSHIP – A 47-year-old man died Friday night after being hit by an SUV while he was walking along Greenwich Road.

John S. Lennhoff, of Seville, was walking westbound in the eastbound lane of Greenwich Road, west of Guilford Road when he was struck about 7:45 p.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Medina post.

Lennhoff was taken to Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital where he died.

The driver of the 2013 Kia SUV was identified as Joseph M. Belle, 61, of Guilford Township.

A Highway Patrol spokesperson said neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected as factors in the crash.

The Medina County Sheriff’s Office and the Seville Fire Department assisted at the crash scene.

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Cleveland police investigate a scene after an officer fired two shots, killing 12-year-old Tamir E. Rice, who police said pulled a gun from his waistband. The gun was later determined to be a BB gun with the orange safety cap removed. (AP Photo/Northeast Ohio Media Group, Cory Schaffer)

CLEVELAND (AP) — A 12-year-old boy was fatally shot by police in Cleveland after brandishing what turned out to be a BB gun, triggering an investigation into his death and a legislator’s call for such weapons to be brightly colored or bear special markings.

The boy, Tamir Rice, died from his wounds Sunday, a day after officers responded to a 911 call about someone waving a “probably fake” gun at a playground.

This undated photo provided by the family’s attorney shows Tamir Rice, 12. (AP Photo/Courtesy Richardson & Kucharski Co., L.P.A.)

Deputy Chief Ed Tomba said one officer fired twice after the boy pulled the weapon — which was lacking the orange safety indicator usually found on the muzzle — from his waistband but had not pointed it at police. The boy did not make any verbal threats but grabbed the “airsoft” handgun after being told to raise his hands, Tomba said.

“That’s when the officer fired,” he said.

Police said the weapon resembled a semi-automatic handgun.

The two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the officers are a first-year rookie and a 10-year department veteran.

The police department has collected surveillance video and other evidence and will present it to the county prosecutor’s office, the newspaper said without citing a source. It said after reviewing the evidence prosecutors will present the case to a grand jury, which will decide whether the officer was justified in using force against the boy.

This photo shows a BB gun taken from a 12-year old boy who was shot by police after apparently grabbing what turned out to be a replica gun. The boy died from his wounds Sunday. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Cory Schaffer)

An attorney for the boy’s family, Timothy Kucharski, said Tamir went to the park with friends Saturday afternoon, but he did not know the details of what led to his shooting.

“I don’t want to make a rush to judgment,” he said.

Kucharski said he wants to talk to witnesses himself and get more facts. “We’re ultimately going to find out what happened,” he said.

A man who called 911 told dispatchers the boy was on a swing set and pointing a pistol that was “probably fake” and scaring everyone.

The caller said the boy was pulling the gun in and out of his pants.

“I don’t know if it’s real or not,” the caller said.

Jeff Follmer, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, said the officers were not told the caller thought the gun could be fake.

The officer called to the playground outside a city recreation center saw the pistol sitting on a table or bench, and watched the boy grab it and put it in his waistband, Follmer said.

On Monday, Cleveland’s website was hacked and a YouTube video purporting to be from the hacker collective Anonymous was posted referencing website shutdowns and the shooting.

City spokesman Daniel Ball said the city couldn’t confirm who shut down the site. He said the city was adding extra security measures to prevent a repeat shutdown before restoring the website.

State Rep. Alicia Reece of Cincinnati announced Sunday that she will introduce legislation to require all BB guns, air rifles and airsoft guns sold in Ohio to be brightly colored or have prominent fluorescent strips. It is modeled after a bill signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Reece said she is introducing the bill in response to the fatal shootings of the boy and 22-year-old John Crawford III.

Crawford was fatally shot by police Aug. 5 after a man called 911 to report that Crawford was carrying a gun in a suburban Dayton Wal-Mart store. Police said they believed the air rifle Crawford had picked up was a real rifle and that he didn’t respond to commands to drop it.

A special grand jury concluded police officers’ actions were justified. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.

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About 2,000 candlelit luminaries line the sidewalks of Medina’s Public Square and the surrounding nine-block historic district during the 30th Annual Candlelight Walk. (DAVID KNOX / GAZETTE)

The 30th annual Candlelight Walk had a solemn note Sunday evening as a crowd of about 175 gathered around the Christmas tree in the Gazebo of Medina’s Public Square to pass on the flame of loved ones who have died.

The 10th year Hospice of Medina County held their Circle of Light ceremony brought the largest crowd they’ve ever had, said Hospice of Medina County’s events coordinator Anna Guy-Leach.

Lisa Scarcipino, a staff member at the Hospice of Medina County, lights the center candle during the Hospice’s Circle of Light ceremony Sunday at Medina’s Public Square. The 15-minute service was one of the last events in the 30th Annual Candlelight Walk. (DAVID KNOX / GAZETTE)

“It’s a time when everyone gathers together and it’s about light, reflection and remembrance,” she said.

The ceremony began with Dyan Beder’s guitar and voice. Beder, of Medina, has been leading the songs of the 15-minute service for the past six years.

“As big as it’s trying to be, Medina is a little town,” she said. “This is a good time to be with your friends and neighbors and share the sadness of losing a loved one.”

White candles were given to everyone as Sheryl LoSchiauo Strock, clinical manager of the Robertson Bereavement Center, of Medina, addressed the crowd.

“We gather in light to remember our friends and family members who no longer walk with us in life,” she said. “Let us pause for a moment as we bring to mind their names, their voices and their faces.”

A center candle was lit and everyone lit individual candles from it and spread the flames in a perimeter around the pavilion.

After singing “Amazing Grace,” the crowd closed their eyes and blew out their candles. After singing “Silent Night” they ended on an upbeat note with “This Little Light of Mine.”

After the ceremony, bell-ringers took the stage in the closing concert of the Candlelight Walk.

The Bells of Harmony is a group of 13 adults from 18 to

42 years old with special needs, who just started playing together in August.

Judy Daugherty, of Medina, said she started the group after watching a similar concert in Columbus. She has a 40-year-old daughter with special needs who participates in the group.

“I thought these individuals would have the ability to do it, and I thought they would have fun,” she said.

The group rang out Christmas songs on the steps of the gazebo to close out the weekend of holiday spirit.

Matt Wiederhold, executive director of Main Street Medina, said the weekend overall brought fewer people to the square than he anticipated.

“We probably had about 30,000 people,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people from out of town making Medina their destination place for the holidays.”

Wiederhold said all of the shops and restaurants did very well this year. He also said having a separate stage on Broadway Street for all of the concerts made set up much easier.

“The weather was 100 times better than last year because it wasn’t as cold,” he said.

Contact reporter Katie Anderson at (330) 721-4012 or kanderson@medina-gazette.com.

Lights outlines the buildings around Medina’s Public Square and the surrounding nine-block historic district during the 30th Annual Candlelight Walk. (DAVID KNOX / GAZETTE)

Tom Hilberg, of Medina Township, co-president of the Medina County Historical Society, portrays Father Christmas with Emily Winnicki, 12, of Lafayette Township in a period costume during the Victorian Christmas at the John Smart House Museum, 206 N. Elmwood Ave., Medina. The event, which features characters from Medina County’s past, will continue 2 to 6 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 7. A Mother-Daughter Tea will be held 2 p.m. Dec. 13. (DAVID KNOX / GAZETTE)

Characters from Medina County’s past come alive at the Victorian Christmas at the John Smart House Museum, 206 N. Elmwood Ave., Medina. Portraying Willliam Benson Baldwin, the owner and editor of the Medina Gazette, and his wife, Leonora, are Arnold and Cheryl Ingraham, of Medina Township. The Victorian Christmas event will continue 2 to 6 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 7. A Mother-Daughter Tea will be held 2 p.m. Dec. 13. (DAVID KNOX / GAZETTE)

The Bells of Harmony, a group of 13 adults with special needs, rang out Christmas songs on the steps of the gazebo in Medina’s Public Square to close out the Candlelight Walk weekend. (DAVID KNOX / GAZETTE)

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Thanksgiving dinners are being hosted by several churches and other groups this week. They include:

• St. Ambrose Parish, 929 Pearl Road, Brunswick, will open its doors to the community for the seventh annual Thanksgiving Day Community Meal 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Hilkert Hall.

More than 450 volunteers from the parish and around the community will serve meals to more than 6,000 people this Thanksgiving.

About 150 people will prepare meals and begin to deliver them across the region Wednesday and 300 volunteers are expected to assist with the bulk of meal preparation and delivery 10 a.m. to noon Thanksgiving Day.

The Thanksgiving meal ministry has grown over the years in the number of volunteers and locations of people served. This year, meals will be served at St. Ambrose, as well as at St. Bernard Parish in Akron and Saint Rocco’s Parish in Cleveland.

Meal deliveries for those who live near St. Ambrose are available to those who are unable to attend. For more information on the Thanksgiving Day meal call the St. Ambrose Parish office at (330) 460-7300.

• The Black River community is cooking up free Thanksgiving dinners for anyone who lives in the Black River school district and is alone or can’t get out on Thanksgiving Day.

Teachers and community members will cook Thanksgiving dishes and divide them into individual meals Thanksgiving Day in the recreation room of the high school.

High school students will deliver the meals about noon to any residents in need.

All dinners must be pre-ordered by Tuesday by calling one of the school offices at (419) 736-2161, (419) 736-3304 or (419) 736-3303.

• Medina Salvation Army is serving a Thanksgiving dinner 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in its gym at 425 W. Liberty St. Between 300 and 400 people are expected to attend.

• Wadsworth United Methodist Church, 195 Broad St., is hosting a free Thanksgiving meal at 11:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. Anyone interested in participating can call the church to make reservations at (330) 336-6689.

Other Thanksgiving events:

• The Meadows Turkey Bowl will begin at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day at Mike Meadows’ home, 3075 Hood Road, Medina Township.

On Wednesday, the participants will be divided into three teams at 8 p.m. at the Medina Country Club.

Most of the money raised this year will be donated to the St. Vincent DePaul Society and 30 percent of the money will go to the Radke family of Medina Township. The family lost a father and husband this summer when Peter Radke died while trying to save a 16-year-old girl from drowning in Lake Erie.

• The fifth annual Turkey Burner 5K Run and Family Turkey Hunt will begin at 9 a.m. with registration opening at 7 a.m. at the Hinckley Reservation near the Spillway on Bellus Road in Hinckley Township.

The run will go through trails of the reservation and will include a costume contest for the best dressed turkey, live music, hot chocolate and pumpkin pie.

Pre-registration is $25 and $35 race day, and the turkey hunt is $20 per family. Awards will be given for age and special group categories.

• Heartland Community Church is hosting its annual Turkey Bowl at 9 a.m. at the Medina Recreation Center, 855 Weymouth Road.

Teens and adults are invited to play a game of football on the field next to the parking lot in rain, shine or snow. For more information, call Bill Winar at (330) 808-0826.

• First Church of Christ Scientist, 5147 River Styx Road, Montville Township, will have a 10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day service. The service will include music and hymns, a reading of the Thanksgiving Proclamation by the president of the United States, a scriptural reading, prayer, a Thanksgiving Bible lesson, and testimonies of gratitude from attendees. Child care will be provided.

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Property owners opposing the NEXUS Gas Transmission pipeline are lobbying township officials to go on record opposing the project.

“Part of our strategy is to get our elected officials to speak out against the NEXUS pipeline going through a populated Medina County,” Paul Gierosky, of York Township, said. “It’s not law, but it’s an outward expression, speaking on behalf of the people, that they’re against this, too.”

York Township was the first to pass a resolution. Trustees unanimously approved a resolution Thursday promising “to refrain from authorizing or taking any actions that would facilitate or otherwise be supportive of the construction of the Nexus(Spectra) gas transmission pipeline within the limits of York Township, Medina County, Ohio.”

The 36-to-42-inch-diameter pipeline is proposed to go across Ohio and through five townships in Medina County: Guilford, Montville, Lafayette, York and Litchfield.

Arthur Diestel, a spokesman for NEXUS, said in a prepared statement Sunday that his company is willing to meet with opponents of the project and has held nine informational meetings along the proposed 250-mile pipeline.

“We will work with landowners, public officials and other stakeholders to identify the best possible route,” Diestel said.

Diestel said the project, which will carry natural gas from wells in eastern Ohio to Canada, will create thousands of jobs in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Ontario, Canada.

Gierosky said the number of property owners opposing the project has grown into the hundreds and spread to other counties.

Gierosky said he knows of a group of 50 landowners in Fulton County, west of Toledo, who have been holding informational meetings about the pipeline as well as in Summit and Lorain counties.

“I just shipped 50 “No NEXUS” signs to Fulton County and we’ve even been communicating with a group in Michigan that’s gotten organized as well,” he said.

Gierosky said the Medina County group’s focus has been on educating public officials on issues of pipeline safety and property rights. He said the group sent packages to the five townships with sample resolutions such as the one York Township trustees passed Thursday.

Colene Conley, vice chair of the board of York trustees, said several property owners and township residents asked for the resolution opposing the pipeline.

“We got calls about a month ago asking us to be supportive,” she said. “Residents are looking for help because it’s going to cut right through their property.”

Conley said about 25 property owners were at Thursday’s meeting.

“This group is pretty viable,” she said “They’re together on this and they’ve done their research.”

Conley said she hopes that if other townships pass similar resolutions, it will affect changes to the path of the NEXUS pipeline.

“I wanted to make a stand. We support their efforts for not wanting it on their property without knowing the plan,” she said. “I hope they look to put it in areas where the residential people aren’t affected so much.”

Gierosky said he expects other townships to pass similar resolutions by the end of the year. He said the group also will ask Medina County Commissioners to pass a similar resolution.

“This coalition of landowners is going to stay together and continue to fight against this misuse of eminent domain to take our property,” he said. “We don’t believe they have experienced our level of resistance before because they seem flustered, like we’re getting to them. They picked the wrong route.”

Contact reporter Katie Anderson at (330) 721-4012 or kanderson@medina-gazette.com.

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