The faucets and water fountains either were taped off or gone as of Wednesday. Huron County Health Commmissioner Tim Hollinger said based on the assumption that similar models also were affected, they too were shut off or replaced. The district has ordered replacements.
“The school is being very, very proactive,” Hollinger said.
The EPA has established that when school drinking water exceeds 15 parts per billion, “steps should be taken to limit exposure or reduce lead.”
This summer, the school contracted with a private company, Pardee Environmental, to test the district’s water quality. On Aug. 15, Pardee officials took 78 samples from various drinking fountains and faucets in all the buildings.
“Test results were returned to the school district on Aug. 19, 2016, finding that 10 of the 78 samples tested contained elevated levels of lead,” Superintendent George Fisk said in a letter to parents.
“That was just our sample size,” Fisk told the Reflector.
Hollinger told the Reflector on Wednesday that means 68 of the faucets and fountains tested “were good” or put another way, only 8 percent of the samples were positive for lead. There are 336 total faucets and fountains in the school district.
“That does not include bathroom sinks,” Fisk said.
It’s unknown what it has cost the district to replace the 10 affected fountains and faucets or the similar models.
“I don’t have those invoices yet,” said Fisk, who also is in the process of determining when the school last had its drinking water tested.
Fisk met with health officials and Fisher-Titus Medical Center twice Wednesday.
“We have been keeping the building principals informed,” Fisk said.
Because several samples are taken from the same water line, Hollinger said the assumption is that the lead issue is within the fixtures — not the plumbing system or pipes.
The city of Norwalk conducted its EPA-mandated lead and copper testing this summer.
“Following EPA protocols, samples were collected at 30 residences. The results indicated that the city’s water is under compliance with the lead-and-copper rule,” said Josh Snyder, Norwalk public works director, in a prepared statement.
Hollinger elaborated, saying the city must perform the EPA test every three years and it’s done at the same 30 residences each time — unless those homes have replaced the lead or copper piping. In that case, the EPA randomly would choose replacements.
“Generally, they try to do the same houses every three years to get the baseline,” Hollinger said.
“The city’s water source is safe,” he added. “They just did it (the EPA test) in July. We’re in the clear. … The city tests the water every day — probably more than once a day.
“We’re super comfortable the water is good to go in the city,” Hollinger said.
Since officials are confident the city’s water source is OK, he said the Aug. 15 samples indicate the lead-water issue has been isolated to the school buildings. He also said as an example, due to the different plumbing in the faucets and fountains on the same water line, that one could be fine and another not on the same hallway.
Fisk, in Wednesday’s letter to parents, assured parents that the school district is working with the city and health department to make sure its students and staff members “have access to the safest water possible.”
“We are providing safe sources of drinking water for student and staff in areas where drinking fountains have been shut down. Students are also permitted to bring their own water bottles until further notice. Going forward we will be partnering with HCPH to retest the district’s water fixtures and fountains to ensure our water complies with EPA standards for lead levels,” the superintendent said.
So what’s next the step?
Hollinger said every fountain and faucet in the school buildings will be tested for lead and the health department will “look at more proactive steps to take.” Also, the health department and school will provide further press releases to keep the community informed.
Norwalk Catholic School President Dennis Doughty said the water was tested this spring as his schools and everything passed.
“We are fine here with our water,” Doughty said.

Norwalk schools take proactive approach to water testing


As a proactive safety measure about the levels of lead in water,


Jeff was born March 12, 1949 in Fremont, Ohio, to the late Wilbert W. and Mary J. (Blackborn) Van Natta and came to this area in 1985. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy retiring in 1988. He was a member of the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Sandusky, Ohio, the Norwalk Lions Club, and volunteered his time with the Boy Scouts of America.
Jeff retired from Walmart, Norwalk, Ohio, and was a photographer for the Norwalk Reflector, Great Lakes Photography in Tiffin, Ohio, and Darryl Moll Photography, Norwalk, Ohio. He enjoyed running marathons, triathlons and BMX motocross.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Amy (Doreza) Van Natta, of Milan, Ohio, by his children, Carlo G. Van Natta, of Norwalk, Ohio, and Brittany A. Van Natta, of Auburn, Massachusetts, and by his sister, Patricia Owen, of Navarre, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his son, Joseph Van Natta in 2007, and by his mother, Mary in 2014.
A memorial luncheon will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 4511 Galloway, Sandusky, Ohio. Friends may call on Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Walker Funeral Home, 98 West Main St., Norwalk, Ohio.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Huron County Humane Society, 246 Woodlawn Ave., Norwalk, Ohio. Online condolences may be made by going to http://www.edwalkerfuneralhome.com./


MILAN — Jeffrey L. Van Natta, 67, of Milan, Ohio, passed away Saturday evening, August 20, 2016, in UH Amherst Health Center, Amherst, Ohio.
Jeff was


Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jose Ramirez belted a two-run home run to the Home Run Porch in left field, lifting the Indians to a 3-2 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
It was third game out of the last four with late-game heroics for the Indians. Ramirez also hit a game-tying home run in Friday's game, which came just before Tyler Naquin's inside-the-park walk-off home run.
For Ramirez, who's racked up clutch hits all season, this was one of his biggest after the Indians trailed all day, struggling to handle Marcus Stroman.
The Blue Jays finally relented to Cecil in the eighth. Francisco Lindor reached on a single before Ramirez came away with the decisive blow.
Cody Allen entered in the ninth and, after walking two with two outs, shut the door for his 24th save of the season, improving the Indians to 71-51 overall and 8-3 during their 11-game homestead. They now hold a seven-game lead over Detroit (65-59) in the AL Central.
Corey Kluber delivered another strong outing, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings pitched.
He left the game with the Blue Jays up 2-1 and the bases loaded and two out. Michael Clevinger entered into tough situation, facing slugger Edwin Encarnacion and trying to keep it a one-run game.
Mid-way through the at-bat, Clevinger was called for a walk, which would have brought a run home. Indians manager Terry Francona came out to argue, as Encarnacion had been granted time before the call. Ryan Goins was ordered to go back to third base. On the next pitch, Clevinger struck out Encarnacion looking, inciting a fist pump from catcher Roberto Perez.
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(c)2016 Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)
Visit the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio) at www.ohio.com
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Jose Ramirez, Indians find late-game magic again, rally to beat Toronto Blue Jays 3-2


CLEVELAND — The Indians have magical going on at Progressive Field lately.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jose Ramirez belted a two-run home


Ashleigh R. Ursetti, 26, of 53 Verlin St., pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking in cocaine and trafficking in psilocyn (aka magic mushrooms). As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dismissed the remaining charge on her indictment, possession of criminal tools and planned to recommend probation.
“It’s my understanding the defendant is in treatment,” Huron County Prosecutor Daivia Kasper said.
Ursetti starts an out-patient program at Bayshore Counseling Services near Sandusky next week.
She is convicted of Aug. 4, 2015 controlled drug buys that happened in the vicinity of juveniles. The Norwalk Police Department had arranged the transactions.
Kasper said a “target” and confidential informant waited for the target’s supplier to arrive at a local gas station with drugs. She said police saw Ursetti and an adult occupant in a vehicle that also contained four children, ranging in ages from 4 to 10.
“It was Miss Ursetti’s car. She was the driver,” Kasper added.
Police alerted the state Highway Patrol about possible drug activity and requested assistance from troopers. Kasper said authorities had Ursetti step out of the car and they saw scales on the floor of the vehicle plus some baggies containing a white substance and magic mushrooms.
Ursetti will be sentenced Oct. 12. She remains free on a $15,000 bond with a 10-percent provision.


A Wakeman drug dealer accepted a plea deal Tuesday in Huron County Common Pleas Court.
Ashleigh R. Ursetti, 26, of 53 Verlin St., pleaded guilty to one count each of


Jefferson D. Adkins, 43, 165 Gibbs Road — Aggravated assault and felonious assault
Alan C. Ball, 31, Shelby — Domestic violence
Kristen L. Bechtel, 42, 22 Bank St. — Contributing to unruliness or delinquency of a child
Jonathon F. Collum, 35, 11 Norwood Ave. — Parole Violation and post release control
Adam W. Eversole, 34, 102 S. Linwood St. — Resisting arrest
Joseph D. Farris Sr., 27, 47 Garcia Drive — DUI and violation of protection order
Keith S. Fox Jr., 30 60 N. Marshall St. — Probation violation
Crystal L. Googleye, 34, 326 Elizabeth St., Willard — FRA
Ricardo Gonzalez, 32, 629 N. Pleasant St., Willard -—DUI
Shelley L. Hall, 32, Sandusky — Theft
Cainon C. Means, 30, 14 Adams St. — Probation violation
Jean E. Nelson, 65, 394 Cleveland Road — Driving under a DUI suspension
Timothy W. O’Connor, 56, 319 Park Ave., Willard — Theft and criminal trespassing
Christopher R. Rogers, 52, 7 Fruens St. -—Trafficking in alprazolam
Teresa L. Rogers, 52, 7 Fruen St. — Trafficking in drugs
Ashley R. Seitz, 28, 21-B White Tail Way — Domestic violence
Tyresha R. Siddell, 21, Sandusky — Theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle
Jason A. Williams, 41, 25 Spring St. — Domestic violence
Ricardo J. Silva, 26, 605 Olena Road — DUI over 0.17
Michael P. Stanley, 21, Cleveland — Disorderly conduct by intoxication
* * *
Not pictured, because they already have been released from jail:
Anthony W. Durr, 35, 5515 Fayette Road, New London — Domestic violence

New inmates at the Huron County Jail, Aug. 26 to 28, 2016


Here are pictures and information from the Huron County Jail regarding new inmates for Aug. 26 to 28, 2016:
Jefferson D. Adkins, 43, 165 Gibbs


Leading the way for New London was Delaney Porter with six kills, Kaitlyn Speicher three kills and 12 digs, Lilian Bartow 12 assists and Bre Wilson added 15 digs.
The Ladycats dropped to 1-1 over, 0-1 in the FC.
They’ll get right back to work on Thursday at Black River.
Monroeville cruises past Western
The Monroeville Lady Eagles opened Fireland Conference play win a 3-0 win over the Western Reserve Lady Roughriders.
The Eagles took all three games 25-14, 25-17 and 25-21. Kelsie Palmer was 10 for 11 serving with 4 aces and Kara Schafer was 16 for 16 with three aces.
Shafer added 26 assists while Ashlyn Tommas had 12 kills, Brooke Barman had seven kills and one block, Kirsten Steiber had 6 kills and 23 digs and Kelsie Palmer had five kills and three blocks. The Lady Eagles improve to 2-0 and 1-0 in the FC.
Pirates down Crimson Flashes
PERKINS TWP. — Willard had some promising moments in Tuesday’s non-conference match against Perkins.
However, the Lady Pirates came out on top tallying wins of 25-20, 25-9, 25-17.
The Lady Flashes fell to 0-2 on the season.
Willard will host Lexington on Thursday in another non-league matchup.
Plymouth grabs win No. 3 over Mapleton
The Plymouth Big Red grabbed a 5-set thrilling win over Mapleton to improve to 3-0 on the year.
The Big Red won by scores of 16-25, 14-25, 25-20, 25-21 and 17-7. They are now 1-0 in the Firelands Conference
GOLF
Lady Truckers earn non-league win
The Norwalk girls’ golf team completed the first half of their season with a 194-206 win over Mansfield Madison at The Woods at Possum Run.
The 1-2 punch of seniors Ellie Schneider and Addie Mannino led Norwalk with scores of 45 and 48, respectively.
Also scoring for Norwalk was Ana Little and Darian Brooks.
The Lady Truckers’ record stands at 44-26 as they slow down the marathon pace of matches and tournaments and look to a month of dual matches.
“I really like what I have seen so far,” Norwalk coach Don Nardecchia said. “As far as the Northern Ohio League race we went 3-1 through the first round and added a second round win over Willard as well. At 4-1 we have a huge maatch at Bellevue on September 1. We also visit Tiffin and then the 18-hole NOL tournament. We finish up with first-place Shelby at Eagle Creek to round out the league schedule.
“We have a lot of work to do, but now we have the time to prepare for a strong finish. This is the first time the NOL has conducted a two round regular season to go with the tournament. It gives the ladies a real goal to strive for. They have positioned themselves to play very meaningful matches in September and that is all I can ask for as a coach.”
SOCCER
Edison, Rossford finish in tie
Despite Savanna Smith’s four goals, the Lady Chargers ended up in a 5-5 with the Lady Bulldogs on Monday.
Smith received assists from Jillian Danda, Sophie Clark and Shelby Pruitt. Coley Branum scored unassited with 11 minutes remaining to tie the match.
Elizabeth Pruitt recorded eight saves in goal.
Edison will return to action on Thursday at Waite.
YOUTH SOCCER
Norwalk HCYSC U-15 team defeats N. Royalton
Norwalk’s Huron County Youth Soccer Club U-15 team claimed a 3-2 victory over North Royalton.
Norwalk (2-0) received a goal each from Gavin Shutt, Garrison Smith and Patrick Amburgy.
The next game for Norwalk is Aug. 28 at Revere at 4 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Junior Truckers tab second at Willard Invite
The Norwalk Junior High boys and girls cross country teams opened their season at the Willard Invite last night against Sandusky, Willard, Old Fort and Mansfield.
Both teams came out strong with a second place overall finish. Chaz Smith finished first for the boys with a time of 12:10. Xavier Sweet finished fifth with a time of 13:39 and Douglas Ortner finished seventh with a time of 13:49, followed by David Kraus 14:57, Ethan Schmenk 15:04, Luke Brown 15:50, Landon Klett 16:29, Trenton Goosetree 18:14.
For the girls Kayla Cring finished third with a time of 15:45. Avery Dumbeck finished sixth with a time of 16:20 and Lana Oglesby finished with a time of 16:36, while Abby Hart clocked in at 18:47, Megan Olsen 18:56, Sara Ramos 22:49 and Erica Johnson 29:31.
The team travels to Seneca East this Saturday.


NEW LONDON — The Ladycats, although consistent, couldn’t get past the Cougars in Tuesday’s Firelands Conference match losing in three sets, 25-12, 25-11, 25-13.


St. Paul 34, St. Mary’s 0
The Flyers started out their season the same way they have for 11 consecutive years – with a Week 1 victory. This time, St. Paul had to deal with a lightening delay that stretched over an hour and 45 minutes. The contest wasn't close as the Flyers took home the 34-0 victory. Derek Gross carried the ball 23 times for 208 yards and two scores including an 89-yard rumble. He led the team with 12 tackles and an interception. Colton Service added 72 yards on the ground with a pair of scores and the Flyers attempted just eight passes. They added 388 yards of total offense and 355 of those were on the ground. A dominant run game could help quarterback Nick Lukasko get comfortable in the backfield and a good passing game may develop if the Flyers need it.
Edison 50, Firelands 17
It was the Braden Ehrhardt show on Friday night as the first-time quarterback gave Chargers’ fans reason to not worry about 2016. He collected five total touchdowns after running for 105 yards and throwing for 76 more. He reached the end zone three times one the ground and twice through the air. However; he didn't do it alone. Sam Stoll was a wrecking ball with the rock in his hands running for 145 yards and two scores in the second most lop-sided game of Week 1.
The Chargers were clicking on all cylinders and added three interceptions on defense turning them into easy scores. With 433 yards of total offense, Edison could be scary-good as the season rolls along.
Monroeville 47, Crestline 13
Though no stats were submitted, the Eagles started off 2016 with a convincing win at Crestline. The Eagles score 28 first quarter points and never looked back By the start of the fourth, their lead ballooned to 40-7 and it was an easy road from there.
New Londons 28, Oberlin 26
It was a nail-biter in New London and with the game lasting three and a half hours, Wildcat fans may not have anymore nails left. Oberlin and New London traded punches all night long with the Wildcats throwing the final one. The two teams literally traded touchdowns throughout the contest, but a failed Oberlin 2-point conversion with 37 seconds to go in the third was the deciding factor. Joe Sowder didn't find the end zone, but he was the difference-maker in the second half. His number was called nine times after the intermission and he piled up 135 yards including 67 on the Wildcats’ final drive. Dane Mathews completes seven of 17 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Oberlin was able to pick him off four times, but in the end, the turnovers didn't matter and the Wildcats came away with the Week 1 victory. Jacob Molnar had 17 carries for 107 yards and two scores while also blocking a punt and returning it for a score.
Plymouth 39, Buckeye Central 19
It took the Big Red a little while to get going, but that’s how Week 1 goes sometimes right? After trailing at halftime, the Big Red exploded to the tune of a 26-point outburst in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Buckeye Central led at the half 13-7 and the Big Red defense put the clamps down giving up just six points in the second half. The Big Red piled up 545 yards of total offense including 416 on the ground. The 2-headed monster running back crew of Dylan Carroll and Seth Bailey combined for 288 yards on the ground – 159 for Carrol and 129 for Bailey. Sophomore Kade Collins completed six of 15 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown in his first varsity start. Carroll ran for three scores while Bailey added a pair including a 55-yarder. Mitchell Chaffins added a receiving touchdown and two interceptions.
Willard 31, Margaretta 24
It is a new era in Willard football. Head coach Britton Devier showed off his new high-powered spread offense by showcasing Ethan Daub’s arm. The gun-slinger completed 20 of 30 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns – the same number of passing touchdowns the Flashes had all season in 2015. The Flashes jumped out to a comfortable 25-8 lead in the third and slowly saw that mark slip away in the fourth. But they were able to hang on for the 31-24 season-opening win. Breton Polachek collected two of Willard’s four interceptions on the evening.
Port Clinton 28, Norwalk 17
Norwalk kicked off the season on Thursday night traveling to the lake to take on Port Clinton. Trenton Morrow did all he could to get the Truckers back in the game throwing for 122 yards and a touchdown. Blake Obringer was his favorite target hauling in six balls for 87 yards and a score. Trevon Raymore added 94 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
Seneca East 54, South Central 20
It was a tough outing for the Trojans against one of the Northern 10 Conference’s top teams. Aaron Lamoreaux had a successful Game 1 as the starting quarterback throwing for 71 yards and a touchdown while running for 90 more yards and a score. Aaron found little brother Ben Lamoreaux on a 12 yard strike. Other than that, the Trojans didn't have much offense piling up just 215 yards of total offense.
Black River 50, Western Reserve 7
The most lop-sided Week 1 contest in Week 1 came out of Collins. the Roughriders couldn't get much going. Even though it was a one-sided outcome, some Roughriders pieced together successful individual performances. Matt Perkins found Colton Puder for a 62-yard score for Western’s only score of the game. Puder had just three receptions but piled up 100 yards.


Overall, Week 1 was very successful for area teams. Spanning three days – Thursday through Saturday – area teams picked up six wins total while just losing three games.


The planet Proxima b, described in the journal Nature, could be one of the first planets outside our solar system where humans could go searching for life.
“It’s the closest star, it has a potentially habitable world — I just think it’s amazing,” said Cornell astrophysicist Lisa Kaltenegger, director of Carl Sagan Institute, who was not involved in the study. “This is just such a great exciting time to live in, because we’ll figure out how we fit into all of this — and hopefully, also, if we’re alone in the universe.”
The discovery comes months after the announcement of Breakthrough Starshot, an initiative to build and send tiny spacecraft to the nearest star system within the coming decades.
“The technology today is sufficient to begin thinking about these things,” Pete Worden, the initiative’s executive director and former head of NASA’s Ames Research Center, said at a news briefing. The finding now gives the project a tantalizing planetary target.
“We are really excited, and, to use the U.S. term, pumped, about this discovery,” Worden said. “We’re on our way.”
Proxima b circles Proxima Centauri, the stellar third wheel to the binary pair of stars known as Alpha Centauri AB. It’s the closest star to our solar system, sitting just 4.2 light-years away, but as an M-dwarf — a dim, red, low-mass star — it can’t be seen with the naked eye.
The newly discovered planet is estimated to hold at least 1.3 Earth masses, which means it’s probably a rocky world like our own. And while it circles roughly 4.3 million miles from the surface of its star (taking just 11.2 Earth days to complete a revolution) Proxima Centauri is small and dim, with just 12 percent of the sun’s mass and 0.15 percent of its luminosity. At that distance, it’s still temperate enough for water, theoretically, to remain stable on the surface, assuming there’s a protective atmosphere.
Scientists discovered Proxima b thanks to what’s known as the radial velocity method, which takes advantage of the Doppler effect. As a planet moves around its star, it tugs on the star just a little bit, causing it to wobble back and forth. When the wobble brings the star closer to us, the light reaching us is squeezed, making it bluer. When the star is pulled slightly away from us, the light is stretched, making it redder. By using that color shift to track that wobble, astronomers can determine the mass of the planet tugging on it.
In some ways, this is simpler to do with M dwarfs; because they’re much smaller than stars like our sun, they’re also more easily pulled this way and that by their planets. And since Proxima b is so close to the star, it circles very frequently and should be easy to pick out. That’s not to mention that Proxima Centauri, as the closest star to us, is arguably the best-studied red dwarf to date.
And yet it took years to find the planet. That’s in large part because M dwarfs are very noisy, variable stars, whose stellar activity can drown out that telltale Doppler signal. Earlier observations made years before revealed hints of the planet but could not decisively prove its existence.
Earlier this year, a team of astronomers known as the Pale Red Dot campaign studied Proxima Centauri using the European Southern Observatory’s HARPS instrument, a spectrograph installed on the 3.8-meter telescope at La Silla in Chile. Using other telescopes, including the ASH2 telescope at the San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations Observatory and the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, they monitored the star’s brightness to make sure that its variability wasn’t producing the tantalizing exoplanetary signal.
They found that, at times, Proxima Centauri was moving toward and away from Earth at about 3 miles per hour — a typical human walking pace. An unseen planet, they realized, must be tugging on this star.
“All the pieces together is what allows us to be very, very sure that we have it right this time,” Guillem Anglada-Escude of the Queen Mary University of London said at a news briefing on his team’s findings.
As it turns out, there was also another signal mixed into the data — one that might potentially hint at the existence of a larger, more distant planet circling Proxima Centauri.
Could life exist on Proxima b? There are several unknowns that make it impossible to say right now, scientists said. The planet is tidally locked to Proxima Centauri; one side of the planet may permanently face the star while the other half remains shrouded in darkness. But that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for the existence of life: If there is an atmosphere, it should redistribute heat across the surface, the researchers said.
But as an M dwarf, Proxima Centauri is also far more mercurial a star than our own, prone to frequent flares and bursts of X-rays that would send down 400 times the X-ray flux that Earth receives from the sun. (In the news briefing, the study authors said they’d been conservative and overstated the risk; it was more likely on the order of 100 times.) And X-rays could eat away at the atmosphere, even if it does exist.
And it’s also not clear whether water could have truly survived on the planet over the eons; it depends on how violent the star was in the past, and where the planet actually originated — both of which remain a mystery.
“This is the biggest question mark for the question of whether it’s an Earth-like planet or not,” said study co-author Ansgar Reiners of the University of Gottingen. “Whether there’s water or not, we do not know; that entirely depends on the formation, on the history of the planet. And this will be subject to further studies.”
The good news: Proxima Centauri is so close that it should be relatively easier to start probing these questions. Some teams have already started.
If life were on this planet, it probably survived either underground or deep within its hypothetical oceans, Kaltenegger said. But perhaps it could have eventually evolved to handle the extreme radiation that may reach the surface, she added, perhaps by using biofluorescence (an idea she and a colleague flesh out in a paper posted to arXiv).
Others expressed mixtures of caution and hope.
“Personally I’m holding out for the Earth twin,” Sara Seager, an MIT astrophysicist who was not involved in the study, said in reference to the search for an Earth-like planet around a sunlike star.
The next step is to try and catch the planet transiting across the star’s surface, she added. Seager is one of the scientists working on TESS, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, which will launch in 2017 to hunt for nearby exoplanets.
But in some ways the discovery of Proxima b heralds a new era, Seager added — one that moves from vast surveys like NASA’s Kepler spacecraft (as well as TESS) and toward individual, in-depth profiles of particularly interesting planets.
TESS may help identify many more interesting red dwarfs, which are the most common type of star found near our solar system. In fact, they’re so plentiful that some scientists say these cool, dim stars might actually have a greater chance of hosting a life-friendly world than sunlike stars (though again, it’s unclear what their variable nature may have on planets).
In the meantime, Proxima b presents astronomers with an ideal opportunity to study one of these stars (and the planet that circles it). There’s only a 1.5 percent chance that the planet transits in front of Proxima Centauri, which means researchers will probably not be able to study its atmosphere for a while. But as ever-more-powerful telescopes being to come online, it may be possible to actually take images of this nearby star system.
Plans to visit Proxima b, robotically or otherwise, remain an exceedingly distant prospect; with current technology, it would likely take tens of thousands of years to get there (and more than four years just to send a message back).
This April, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner and physicist Stephen Hawking announced Breakthrough Starshot, a $100-million initiative to build nanosatellites that could be accelerated to 20 percent of the speed of light using lasers. At that rate, it would take a little over 20 years to reach our nearest neighbors — once that technology is designed and built, of course, which may also take decades. Worden estimated that building a private prototype system will require $500 million to $1 billion.
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©2016 Los Angeles Times
Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Scientists spot a rocky, Earth-like planet that could have liquid water


Pale blue dot, meet pale red dot. Astronomers have spent decades scouring the skies looking for Earth-sized planets around distant stars. And now they’ve found one, sitting smack


But the Eagles’ inexperience at key positions combined with a solid nucleus returning for the Panthers led to a McComb sweep Saturday afternoon, 28-26, 25-17, 25-17.
Monroeville (2-1) and McComb met in the Div. IV Elida regional in each of the past three seasons, including the past two years in the championship match with a trip to the state semifinals on the line. The Panthers won the first two tournament meetings, but it was the Eagles shocking them a year ago in five games to earn their only state semifinal appearance in program history.
Adding to the intrigue of a regional final rematch in August, Saturday was the first regular season match for Monroeville in the Monroeville Athletic Complex, which opened in January midway through basketball season.
Tied at 21 in Game 1, the Panthers scored the next three points to serve game point, up 24-21. But the Eagles came up with a big rally. Combined with a couple hitting errors by the Panthers, Monroeville came all the way back to tie it up before McComb eventually pulled out the 28-26 win when the Eagles were whistled for a net violation.
“I think our kids gave a great effort in all three games,” Monroeville coach Kendra Snook said. “Coming in, I don’t think a lot of people put us in this match. Yes, they graduated some good players as well, but we lost a heck of a lot more, obviously. But my kids know how to fight, they know how to play good defense and we’re well-conditions and winning a lot of the long volleys.
“That’s what we needed to do for the entire match,” she added. “In the last two games, we weren’t winning as many of those volleys. I told the kids we played great defense and dug a lot of hard shots, but we missed too many of the easier ones. But I’m proud of how they fought, and it’s a good, early test.”
The two teams went back and forth again early in Game 2, with McComb holding a slight 10-8 lead. The Panthers then scored eight of the next 11 points to open up an 18-13 advantage, and led 24-17 with the Eagles serving.
Each team then went on another long volley, returning the ball to each side six times before the Eagles sailed a hit out of bounds to seal a 25-17 loss.
In Game 3, the Eagles quickly fell behind 8-1, which was a hole too big to come out of. McComb was able to play to a slight 17-16 advantage the rest of the way, capping the sweep with a second straight 25-17 win.
Ashlyn Tommas led the Eagles at the net with 10 kills, while adding 10 digs and 7 for 8 serving with a pair of aces. Kirsten Stieber had six kills and 16 digs, while Brooke Barman also had six kills.
Kara Schafer was 127-of-127 setting with 27 assists and 14 digs, and Stacia Stieber led the defense with 30 digs. Kirsten Stieber added 16 digs, and Maddie Elmlinger was 11 for 12 serving with an ace and 11 digs.
After a historic season in 2015, the Eagles entered this year needing to replace three middle hitters who stood above 6 feet tall in Breanna and Haley Kramer, and Paige Leitz. The trio are each playing Div. II college volleyball. Monroeville also graduated leading setter and team captain Audra Leber.
“It’s our third match of the season, and for most of these kids, it’s their third varsity match of their careers,” Snook said. “I saw some good things happen today that we can build on.”
After opening at Lexington (2015 Div. II state semifinalist) last weekend and facing McComb on Saturday, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Eagles. They travel to South Central on Tuesday and another annual Div. IV power, St. Paul, on Thursday in Firelands Conference play.
“We have a tough start here these first few weeks, and battled the injury bug most of the summer, so we never really saw our whole team together much,” Snook said. “We’re starting to get healthy, which is a good thing, but it’s some good, early tests on the schedule. The kids are giving me great effort and doing everything I ask, but we just have a lot of growing to do as a team.
“We’ll get there, but there may be some growing pains along the way,” she added. “I’m very proud of how they responded today, even in Game 2 and Game 3 my kids never stopped fighting. If they can continue to give me that effort, by the end of the year we may surprise some teams.”

McComb sweeps Monroeville in regional final rematch


MONROEVILLE — After the opening game, it appeared spectators were in for another wild shootout between Division IV volleyball powers Monroeville and McComb.


Prior to traveling, the students had completed between two and five years of French with French teacher Peggy Smith, who coordinated the trip. This trip included an in-depth tour of Paris, with excursions to the Loire Valley, Giverny and Versailles.
While in Paris, the group visited the Louvre, Orsay and Orangerie Art Museums, the Arc de Triomphe, the Cathedrals of Notre Dame de Paris and Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, the Opera district, Place de la Concorde and Les Invalides. An elevator ride to the top of the Eiffel tower and shopping at the Galleries Lafayette were other activities enjoyed by the group during free time.
While in the Loire Valley, they visited the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres and the Chateau de Chenonceau. Another highlight of the trip was visiting the Palais de Versailles with its famous Hall of Mirrors and the beautiful gardens. The trip was culminated by an excursion to Giverny, where the day was spent walking through Monet's spectacular gardens and touring his home.
The students interacted successfully with the local vendors and shopkeepers, and with improved confidence as the trip progressed. They got to experience first hand the many cultural differences traveling abroad has to offer. It was a wonderful learning experience for all.


A group of nine Norwalk High School students and three adults traveled to France for eight days in July.
Prior to traveling, the students had completed between two and


Senior services representative and former commissioner Ralph Fegley showed up at the meeting, looking for a definitive answer on whether the program would receive funding.
Senior Enrichment Services was looking at the option of renovating a pre-existing building for a new senior center in partnership with Fisher-Titus Medical Center. The cost was projected between $90,000 and $108,000.
“I don’t like rumors,” Fegley said. “We ended up on today being the day and I need to tell the senior enrichment board what the answer is.”
Although Fegley expected the commissioners to make a decision Tuesday, Senior Enrichment Services wasn’t on the agenda.
“We’re stuck,” he continued. “We have no other alternatives.”
Fegley went on to detail some of the badly-needed repairs at the current senior building.
“I’m just praying the old elevator stays there. The front door doesn’t work. There’s a sign right on it,” he said. “The best I can figure is, if we don’t do this, we’ll be in that building another seven or eight years.”
“I’d like to see it, but we can’t spend money we don’t have,” Commissioner Joe Hintz said. “I’ve got to be fiscally responsible.”
The debate between Fegley and the commissioners grew tense as they argued whether or not the county had enough money in the general fund to cover the project.
As far as the commissioners were concerned, the numbers just didn’t work out.
“When your board came in before, and talked about a cost of $90,000, it sounded like a no-brainer,” Hintz said.
Fegley, clearly frustrated, responded that the projected numbers actually were written up by the county, not the senior center.
Hintz replied that the county’s finances have changed over the past year — that some projected numbers were off and the program wasn’t as financially feasible as expected.
Fegley said he had met with Huron County Auditor Roland Tkach to review the county’s budget.
“You have funds in your general fund that aren’t even designated for anything,” he began. “You have it. I’ve looked at your money. The seniors of this county are being stuck behind some parking lot.”
“(Tkach’s) numbers and our numbers; sometimes there’s no resemblence,” replied Commissioner Gary Bauer.
He said the auditor doesn’t always know when funds are assigned to different projects.
In the end, Fegler simply asked for a hard yes or no, telling the commissioners he would have to make some sincere apologies and thank Fisher-Titus.
The commissioners still were unable to give him a definitive “no.”
“This is difficult,” Commissioner Tom Dunlap said.
“There’s just not $108,000 to work with,” Bauer said.
While the commissioners had hope for future chances at funding the project, Fegler wasn’t optimistic.
“I think we’re done with Fisher-Titus.” he said. “We’re dead in the water.”

Senior enrichment building 'not financially feasible'


Huron County Senior Enrichment Services faced a major setback Tuesday during the weekly commissioners meeting.
Senior services representative and former


* * *
U.S. 250, just west of Peru Olena Road, is restricted in both directions due to an accident, according to a statement issued at 12:31 p.m. Monday by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Motorists should expect delays through this area.

Crash on U.S. 250 causing traffic delays


(UPDATED at 6:38 p.m. Monday) U.S. 250, just west of Peru Olena Road, is open to traffic in both directions. The road was previously restricted due to an accident.


Last week, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Charles Schneider sentenced Aries Cobb, 43, of University Heights, to 120 days in jail after he found her guilty of the charges after a bench trial. She was also ordered to pay more than $120,000 in restitution to the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
Cobb, the owner of Edu-at-Tech in Cleveland, was found guilty of submitting claims to the Department of Medicaid for medical laboratory testing and speech therapy services that were never provided to 32 school-aged children with learning disabilities.
"This defendant targeted vulnerable, special needs children who could have been receiving legitimate services somewhere else," DeWine said.
The defendant promoted her company as a community clinic that provided comprehensive education services, but investigators with the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit found that the clinic provided little more than basic tutoring.
Agents began investigating Cobb after learning that she was submitting a high number of reimbursement claims to Medicaid for laboratory tests, but investigators found no evidence of laboratory records, equipment, or supplies. Several children and their families also testified that they never participated in any medical testing or speech therapy. In fact, the investigation found that instead of receiving education instruction, children spent most days doing chores, playing computer games, and watching movies.
Cobb was ordered to begin serving her sentence on Oct. 7 and will be on five years of community control immediately following her incarceration.

Owner of clinic for special needs children is sent to jail


COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that the owner of a clinic for special needs children in Cleveland has been sentenced to serve time in jail following her


He was born May 15, 1947 in Willard, Ohio to the late Henry and Martha (Redden) Van Loo, and had lived in the Willard and Plymouth area all of his life. He retired from NCR Corp. in Dayton. He was a member of the Willard American Legion Post 514 and was a Navy Veteran.
He is survived by sister, Ruth (Alfred) Sharp of Willard; two sisters-in-law, Geraldine Weiss of Mansfield and Diann (Frank) Anderson of Willard; two brothers-in-law, Jack (Betty) Carney of Willard and Joseph Carney of North Fairfield; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friends, Jan Van Wagner and the Metzger Family.
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn (Carney) Van Loo, who died Dec. 19, 2005; a brother Raymond Van Loo; and a sister-in-law, Suzanne (William H., Sr.) Krabill.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Secor Funeral Home in Willard, where the funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday with the Rev. Doug Winner officiating. Burial will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in New Haven. Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association. Online condolences can be made at http://www.secorfuneralhomes.com.


PLYMOUTH — Joel H. Van Loo, 69, of Plymouth, died Monday at Willard Mercy Hospital.
He was born May 15, 1947 in Willard, Ohio to the late Henry and


He is survived by three sons, James (Connie) Mahl of Oak Harbor, Gerald (Donna) Mahl of Willard and Gary Mahl of Tampa, Florida; a daughter, Jeanine (Rod) Buck of Sandusky; 7 grandchildren, Charlotte (Michael) Stonerook, Kevin (Julie) Mahl, Chad (Melissa) Mahl, Heath (Angie) Mahl, Tonya Mahl, Bryan (Mackenzie) Buck and Kristina Buck; 10 great-grandchildren; a great great grandchild; and a sister, Agnes (Joseph) Bischoff.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Velma (Trimmer) Mahl; his parents, Ralph and Emma Mahl; and a brother, Harold Mahl.
Friends may call at the Secor Funeral Home in Willard on Thursday, September 1, 2016 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM and 6:00 to 8:00 PM with a Rosary service at 8:00 PM. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on Friday, September 2, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. with Fr. Eric Culler officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Willard. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church or Heartland Hospice, 907 West State Street, Suite A Fremont, Ohio 43420. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.secorfuneralhomes.com


WILLARD — Richard J. Mahl, age 87, of Willard, passed away Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at The Willows in Willard, Ohio. He was born January 27, 1929 in Sherman Township, Ohio


The schools and HCPH plan to see up to 200 clients each night, but alternate arrangements may be made if you are unable to make it.
Screening is also available at New Beginnings Pediatrics by appointment, or through your primary care physician. Please contact HCPH if you are unable to make the event by calling 419-668-1652.
Parents or guardians must be present for the screening. Please bring a picture I.D., insurance information and completed registration forms.
The form may be downloaded from the school district’s website.

Norwalk City Schools and Public Health to provide lead screenings


Norwalk City Schools and Huron County Public Health (HCPH) will be holding lead screenings at Norwalk Middle School gym, 64 Christie Avenue, Monday, Aug. 29 and Tuesday, Aug. 30. Screenings


McManus was just 10 years old when he died unexpectedly Sunday at his New London home. Friends and family were devastated by the news and, wasting no time as a tribute to the young man’s loveable nature, family friend Carla Liss started a GoFundMe page to help the family pay for the expenses and give him a “wonderful service.”
The page started out asking for $5,000 for the arrangements. Generosity overflowed from the community though and by mid-Thursday the money donated more than double the asking amount with $11,250, with donations ranging from $5 to $500.
“I am trying to help some very good friends of mine as they had a tragic loss today of their son, Trent McManus,” Liss said on the GoFundMe page. “A loss is always hard but the loss of a child unexpectedly is even harder. As a mother myself I could not imagine the pain and heartache they are dealing with at this time.
“I would love to help them and take some of the burden of this loss off and help any way possible. They will need all the help they can to give their loving child a wonderful service. He was a great kid and loved by many in our community. He loved football and baseball. He was an active 4-H member. Trent was getting ready to start his 5th grade year at New London Schools. He was only 10 years old.”
Those touched by the boy’s young heart were moved to comment on his personality, leaving messages on the donation page and his mother’s Facebook page.
“Trent was a delightful little boy, so energetic and personable. A treasure who touched many in his time on this earth,” friend Gail Johnson said.
“Since yesterday I've made some posts about friends of mine losing their son. This little guy had the biggest smile, which always seemed to be on his cute face! Not only did I go to school with his mom, but they also just live a few houses down (and) my little one plays with them often,” said Kristy Temple.
“Trent also loved my son, he looked up to him and wanted to be just like him, especially with his sports! I'm going to miss him coming down on his bike. ... Such a sweet, kind hearted little man. Trent's parents are amazing people also. Very kind souls that will help anyone anyway they can.”
“It is terrible,” said family friend Jennifer Dawn Ball. “(My son) Andrew looked at me and said ‘mom, no one gets my jokes like he does. He was my first friend when we moved here.’ That kid had a contagious smile for sure!”
A previous teacher remembered the kind-hearted student.
“You will be deeply missed! I enjoyed having you in my class when you were in third grade! You were such a good little boy! Sending thoughts and prayers to your family,” New London teacher Rochelle Jarvis said on the GoFundMe page.
“He earned (high honor roll and perfect attendance certificates) in my class. He was an amazing child! I loved Trent. He was always smiling and always so happy. His happiness was always contagious.”
Anyone wishing to donate to cause can do so on the GoFundMe page.

Unexpected death of local boy touches community's heart


The state of EMA’s funding was also discussed during the commissioners meeting. Unfortunately for the agency, things are not looking up.
Emergency Management Performance Grant funding dropped more than ten grand, from $90,262 last year (FFY 2015) to $78,523 this year (FFY 2016). The grant is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The cut comes out of the blue for the agency, according to Roblin.
“We were told the FFY2015 would be our new ‘normal’ and now it is changing,” he wrote in his report. “Our shared employee has been instrumental ... and now the funding increase used to support her is being cut by half.”
“We suffer because of that,” Roblin said during the commissioner meeting on Tuesday.
On a slightly higher note, the agency received its National Weather Service Storm Ready certification last October, which is good for three years. The program encourages the formation of a hazardous weather plan, and trains the agency to spot severe weather among other things.
Roblin also recounted the agency’s success at the Huron County fair. Although they didn’t have a booth, one of their shared employees with the Huron County Health Department passed out flyers and bags and assisted residents in signing up for the Huron County Alert system.
The public alert system sends prompt messages, texts or emails to area residents in the case of situations such as severe weather like tornadoes, flash floods, missing persons, unexpected road closures or area evacuations. Anyone can sign up at https://member.everbridge.net/index/453003085612221#/signup.

County Emergency Management Association loses funding


Director Jason Roblin presented a report to the county commissioners Tuesday on behalf of the Huron County Emergency Management Agency. The report covered the agency’s preparedness


Brendan A. Butler, 33, of 45 E. Church St., Milan, was charged with assault on a police officer, a fourth-degree felony punishable by six to 18 months behind bars. He also received citations on resisting arrest and disorderly conduct by intoxication.
Milan Police Chief Bob Meister responded to Butler’s home at 5:28 p.m. for the report of domestic violence in progress. Upon arrival, the chief said he spoke to Butler’s father who alleged his “highly intoxicated son” earlier pushed him, pulled out one of his shirts and turned him around, but now was inside “sleeping it off.” The father wasn’t harmed and declined to pursue charges.
The father, upon arriving at his son’s home, said “he noticed something in the road … and realized it was his highly intoxicated son,” according to the police report.
Meister then interviewed a 17-year-old girl who told him “she looked out of her window and saw Brendan Butler lying in the road,” according to the report. Police also said Butler fell face first onto the pavement and Meister later saw a small cut on his chin, which had been bleeding, but had dried as well as “smeared blood on a good portion of his face.”
Next, the chief interviewed Butler’s wife who reported her husband “went to lunch with friends at BW3 … and came home highly intoxicated,” according to the report. Meister said he told the wife he needed her to awaken Butler to make sure there had been no domestic violence and everyone in the home was OK.
When Meister first interviewed Butler, he said the man’s level of intoxication made it a “useless conversation,” but when he told him he would be charged with disorderly conduct by intoxication, Butler “perked up a bit and suddenly took offense to my presence in his home.”
Meister requested Butler lower his voice and the suspect reportedly ordered him out and said he was returning to bed. When Butler rushed past the chief, he was told he was under arrest. Butler is accused of trying to pull away after the left handcuff was on him.
At that point, the chief requested North Central EMS respond. Meister said the two female medics attempted to evaluate Butler and when he tried to get up again, he was forced to take Butler to the ground to better control him and have him evaluated.
“I turned my head for only a moment and with his right leg, Brendan threw rather hard kick to the side of my face,” wrote the chief, who later told the Reflector the kick was hard enough he “saw stars.”
“I also injured my right forearm as we went to the ground, causing it to swell. The blow stunned me for a moment, but I was able to get another grip on Brendan,” Meister wrote.
Meister said he and the medics attempted to control Butler and they called for reinforcements from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Paul Sigsworth and Deputy Matt Heery responded and assisted with carrying Butler to a cruiser.
As police arrived at the Erie County Jail, “several corrections officers awaited us at the sallyport entrance with a restraint chair,” according to the report. Authorities secured Butler in the chair and took him to the holding area for further processing.
When Meister was on the way back to Milan, he said Sigsworth called him, notifying him that Butler “was beginning to act up in jail” and likely would need more time in the restraint chair until he calmed down.

Drunk man kicks police chief in face during arrest


MILAN — An intoxicated man is accused of kicking a police chief in the head while being restrained during his arrest at his home Thursday.
Brendan A. Butler, 33,


Shawn R. Slavik, 34, of Lorain, is charged with gross sexual imposition. If convicted of the fourth-degree felony, he faces six to 18 months in prison.
Since Slavik has a previous felony conviction, he could face a prison sentence if convicted of the current charge. Norwalk Law Director Stuart O’Hara said the defendant was convicted of breaking and entering in 2003, and otherwise, his criminal record includes multiple misdemeanors.
According to Norwalk Municipal Court records, the suspected sex crime happened March 31, 2015. Prosecutors filed the charge March 24 of this year.
Huron County Children Services notified the Norwalk Police Department that they were investigating a possible sex offense. O’Hara declined to say how the girl and Slavik might know each other, but said it appears the victim went to a hospital.
The law director was asked if Slavik made any admissions.
“We have not interviewed him. He refused to talk to us,” O’Hara said.
Slavik was arrested recently.
Just before 5:30 p.m. Friday, an officer went to the Lorain County Jail, where the defendant was arrested on a warrant. Slavik then was transported to the Huron County Jail, where his bond is $20,000.

Man, 34, charged with sex crime with girl half his age


An area man is accused of committing a sex offense with a 17-year-old Norwalk girl.
Shawn R. Slavik, 34, of Lorain, is charged with gross sexual imposition. If convicted


Police Detective Marc Linder interviewed the possible victim, a 19-year-old Bellevue woman, at the emergency room of The Bellevue Hospital. He said the woman didn’t have any visible injuries at the time.
“It’s an open investigation. No arrests have been made yet. She did name the person who raped her,” Linder said.
The detective said the woman knows her suspected rapist, but didn’t elaborate.
“She did go up to Firelands (Medical Center) for a SANE nurse,” Linder said, referring to a nurse who specializes in evaluating sexual-assault victims.
Linder’s investigation has included speaking to the suspect and other involved people.
“At this time no arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing,” the detective said.
Dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call at 6:30 a.m. Saturday transferred from the Huron County Sheriff’s Office. According to the police report, the woman alleged she was raped about 15 minutes beforehand behind a High Street building down an alley and then she ran home.
North Central EMS was dispatched to the scene.
When asked Tuesday about the location of the possible sex crime, Linder said it happened on the northeast end of Bellevue on the Huron County side of the city.


BELLEVUE — The investigation of a suspected rape Saturday continues in Bellevue.
Police Detective Marc Linder interviewed the possible victim,


The band, led by Brian Wilson along with his two brothers, a cousin and a family friend, began performing in 1961 in Hawthorne, California as the Pendletones. Within less than two years and a name change, the Beach Boys ruled the U.S. air waves with “Surfin' Safarri,” “Surfin' USA” and “Surfer Girl.” Between their own hits and the #1 song “Surf City” that Brian wrote and produced for Jan and Dean, Wilson pretty much created the California beach music sound. Its instant popularity along with 1960's Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon beach-themed movies moved much of the music and entertainment business to the Southern California beaches.
After his early success, Brian spent less time touring with his band and more time on producing music. His 1966 album “Pet Sounds” is widely considered to be one of rock's most creative productions, ranked by “Rolling Stone” in 2003 as the #2 album of all time behind only the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.” One of the first concept albums and early hint of the upcoming psychedelic era, Brian followed with the #1 hit “Good Vibrations,” moving the Beach Boys sound from ocean and sand and cars to the cusp of the hippie days. Brian wrote over twenty Top 40 hits for his group, one of the first entertainers to act as their own writer and producer. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Although Brian spent many years dealing with drug abuse and depression, he has continued to write and perform his music in tours around the world. He married his long-time girlfriend Melinda Kae Ledbetter in 1995; they have five adopted children and she is now his manager. At age 74, Brian is on the Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour. His autobiography, “I Am Brian Wilson,” has been in the works for years with various co-writers and is now nearing completion.
Brian and Melinda have recently listed their Lake Arrowhead, California vacation retreat. At 4,500 square feet, the five-bedroom, five-bath, three-story home is equipped with an elevator to access each floor, has terraces/balconies on each level, two fireplaces and views of the lake from all the common rooms. A perfect blend of formal and casual, soaring ceilings give the interior an airy, cheerful vibe. The open layout lends itself to entertaining and there is an outdoor kitchen on the deck overlooking the lake. A single, solar-powered boat slip is included in the sale.
Lake Arrowhead has been a peaceful retreat for the rich and famous and a backdrop in films since the early 1900s. Some of the early actors decided to build vacation homes there after making films in Lake Arrowhead and still today many celebrities visit and have their own homes. It has been a popular hangout for Howard Hughes, Charles Lindbergh, Bugsy Siegel, Michael Jackson and many others. Year-round sports are enjoyed from water skiing to snow skiing, golf, hiking and fishing.
Brian Wilson’s vacation retreat on Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino National Forest is now for sale at $3.299 million. The listing agent is Joseph Evans of Coldwell Banker.
Visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com for more celebrity homes and real estate news.

Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson's vacation home is for sale


After Elvis and before the Beatles, the Beach Boys were America's favorite rock 'n roll group.
The band, led by Brian Wilson along with his two brothers, a cousin


Robert L. J. Honacker, 32, of 520 Milan Ave., Lot 68, pleaded guilty to complicity to trafficking in heroin. The fifth-degree felony conviction is for an April 7 transaction.
Honacker will be sentenced Oct. 12 in Huron County Common Pleas Court. Since he has a prior felony conviction, he technically is eligible for a prison term, but prosecutors appear unlikely to argue against Honacker being put on probation.
“Mr. (Paul) Dolce tells me he his employed,” said Huron County Assistant Prosecutor Richard Woodruff, referring to Honacker’s defense attorney. “He has been screened (for) and started a treatment program.”
If Honacker remains employed, follows through with substance abuse treatment and “there are no surprises” revealed in his pre-sentence interview and investigation, Woodruff said the state is willing to support recommending the defendant for probation.
Honacker told Judge Jim Conway although he has a previous felony conviction, he currently isn’t on probation in another court.
“He has a pending case in Norwalk Municipal Court for domestic violence,” Dolce added.
The Norwalk Police Department investigated the suspected July 21 incident.
In the heroin case, Honacker assisted with the controlled transaction involving his suspected accomplice, Daniele M. Honacker, 23, and directed the confidential informant to the source of the heroin in Toledo, Woodruff said.
Daniele Honacker is charged with two counts of trafficking in heroin in connection with controlled drug buys on April 1 and 7.

Norwalk man guilty of heroin-related crime


A Norwalk man was convicted Tuesday of assisting with a heroin-related controlled drug buy.
Robert L. J. Honacker, 32, of 520 Milan Ave., Lot 68, pleaded guilty to


New inmates at the Huron County Jail, Aug. 23, 2016
Here are pictures and information from the Huron County Jail regarding new inmates for Aug. 23, 2016:


Here are pictures and information from the Huron County Jail regarding new inmates for Aug. 23,


New inmates at the Huron County Jail, Aug. 23, 2016


Tropical Depression Nine was the former tropical disturbance 99L.
The center of this system is about 350 miles west of Key West, Florida. The latest indications are that the storm was beginning to turn toward the northwest.
Prospect of strengthening in Gulf of Mexico
While Tropical Depression Nine could become a tropical storm at any time into Thursday morning.
"Tropical Depression Nine will be moving into an area more favorable for strengthening," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
The next tropical storm names in the Atlantic are Hermine and Ian. A system off the North Carolina coast, currently called Tropical Depression Eight, is in competition with Tropical Depression Nine to become the next tropical storm.
Latest indications point toward the system making landfall along the northeastern Gulf Coast, most likely in the Big Bend area of the Florida coast on Thursday.
A storm system near the Texas coast and another system are forecast to plunge into the eastern United States should grab Tropical Depression Nine and cause it to turn quickly to the northeast at midweek.
In this most likely scenario, the system would then track across the northern part of the Florida Peninsula on Thursday, along the coast of Georgia on Friday and off the Carolina coast during Labor Day weekend.
Only if the depression remains weak and misses the connection would the system wander farther west and perhaps make landfall along the central Gulf coast.
"Enhanced showers and gusty thunderstorms can be expected with localized flooding possible along the system's path," AccuWeather Meteorologist Ed Vallee said.
There is the potential for 4-8 inches of rain near, east and northeast of where the center makes landfall.
All residents and visitors from the central and northeastern Gulf Coast to the coastal Carolinas should continue to monitor the progress Tropical Depression Nine and review what preparations are needed if a strong tropical storm threatens.
Should the system strengthen and track in the upper part of the west coast of Florida, low-lying areas near and south of the center of the storm could face coastal flooding during the period from Wednesday night to Thursday.
Residents of Louisiana should also keep an eye on this system in the event it moves on a farther west path than anticipated.
Early week downpours to soak Florida, Bahamas, Cuba
As Tropical Depression Nine swirls over the south-central Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys, the southern part of the Florida Peninsula, the western Bahamas and central and western Cuba there will be a risk of flooding downpours and locally gusty thunderstorms. Mudslides will be a concern in Cuba.
The heaviest storms could bring damaging wind gusts, power outages and rough seas, as well as the potential for a couple of tornadoes and waterspouts.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Kristina Pydynowski is a senior meteorologist for AccuWeather.com.

Tropical Depression 9 to target US Gulf Coast late this week


AccuWeather reports Tropical Depression Nine developed just south of Florida on Sunday and will turn toward the northeastern Gulf Coast of the United States later this week.


Monroeville flexed its muscles Friday night with a 47-13 non-conference victory over Crestline.
“It’s always good to start out the year with a win,” Monroeville coach Scott Stecher said. “We do have a lot to improve on. ... The little things
“We came out a little flat, but at the end of the first half we did a good job of putting the pedal to the metal. We have to work on the little things.”
The Eagles owned all phases of the game.
“We ran the ball pretty well tonight,” Stecher said. “Our conditioning was a factor. We did get a couple of touchdown passes which is good. We were a little more diversified.
“Defensively we played well. We missed a few tackles but overall we played well defensively.”
Stecher got to clear the bench.
“We played everybody, which helps,” he said. “We have a jayvee game tomorrow (today) against Mohawk and that will be a good one.”
The Eagles will get to sit back tonight and scout Sandusky St. Mary’s as the Panthers host St. Paul at Strobel Field. The Eagles travel to Strobel next Saturday to play the Panthers.
“We have a big game next Saturday and that will be a challenge for us,” Stecher said.
“It’s just so cool to play at Strobel Field. We are so blessed to be there. If you can’t get up for a Saturday-night game at Strobel Field, you shouldn't be playing football. It is cool. We have two good Div. VII teams going at it and two Div. VII playoff teams from last year going at it.
“Man. I’d buy a ticket for that.”

Eagles overcome slow start in rout on the road


CRESTLINE — It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn good for a season opener.
Monroeville flexed its muscles Friday night with a 47-13 non-conference


The margin of which Norwalk St. Paul outscored their opponents last season. The Flyers averaged 37.7 points per game while holding opponents to 9.2.
1,560
Total number of yards piled up by Norwalk quarterback Trenten Marrow. He threw for 1,059 and ran for 501 yards as a junior for the Truckers.
10
The number of seniors the Plymouth Big Red return in 2016 including three 2-time lettermen, Dylan Carroll, Jacob Prosser and Josh Dove.
3
The number of teams in the Firelands Conference who finished at .500 or better. Those teams were Norwalk St. Paul (10-2), Monroeville (6-5) and Western Reserve (5-5).
12-2
The record of the Edison Chargers who advanced to the Final Four last season. The Chargers won three playoff games including a 70-37 blowout win against Swanton.
2019
The graduation year of Monroeville’s two quarterbacks on the roster. Adam rogers is a 5-foot-9, 180-pound sophomore while Chayce Schaub is a 6-1, 140-pound sophomore as well.
43
Number of rostered players on the Willard roster. New head coach Britton Devier has the highest number of players on roster in the past few years.
4
The jersey number of South Central’s first team All-Firelands Conference player Aaron Lamoreaux. He was named all conference as a wide receiver, but he is listed as a quarterback on the Trojans’ preseason roster.
5
The total number of Firelands Conference championships won by the Western Reserve Roughriders including the very first one back in 1961. Their last was in 2012 when they shared it with St. Paul.
142
The total number of Firelands Conference victories by New London; fourth most in the history of the conference.
jakefurr@norwalkreflector
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452-110
The margin of which Norwalk St. Paul outscored their opponents last season. The Flyers averaged 37.7 points per game while holding


The drug is a chemical relative of fentanyl, a painkiller and anesthesia used in surgery. At more than 10,000 times stronger than morphine, a tiny amount can be lethal in humans. Just 2 milligrams is all that is needed to knock out a 2,000-pound elephant.
The drug is so powerful that first-responders often have to use as much as 10 times the usual amount of the overdose antidote, Narcan, to revive victims.
In Huntington, W.Va., 27 overdoses were reported within a 1.5-mile radius in just five hours on Aug. 15. One man died.
In Cincinnati, 78 overdoses were reported in a two-day period. One rescue vehicle ran out of Narcan. Jennings County in Indiana saw 14 overdoses — one fatal — on a single day, Tuesday.
On Friday, a man from Akron, Ohio, was arrested and charged with selling the drugs that caused the overdoses in Huntington. Indiana officials also have arrested a man they believe sold the drugs that caused the overdoses there.
No arrests have been made in Cincinnati, where carfentanil was found in the local heroin supply in mid-July. Cleveland health officials also have identified carfentanil in toxicology reports from overdose deaths. The drug is also suspected in 91 overdoses and eight deaths in Akron in mid-July.
Whether carfentanil has caused any overdose deaths in Palm Beach County isn't known. It's only been in the past month that carfentanil was added to the list of drugs tested during autopsies, said Palm Beach County Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Bell.
"Overall, it really makes very little difference in my job," said Bell, adding that testing for another analog of fentanyl is a distraction. "There are plenty of other drugs we detect."
In 2015, fentanyl was detected in more than 100 overdose deaths in Palm Beach County, according to medical examiner records. It often is mixed with heroin, leading unsuspecting addicts to overdose.
Concern about the recent spate of overdoses prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a health alert Thursday. According to the alert, there has been a sharp increase in counterfeit pills that look identical to Oxycodone, Xanax and Norco, but contain deadly levels of fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds or analogs, such as carfentanil and acetylfentanyl.
In July, the Drug Enforcement Administration reported hundreds of thousands of such counterfeit pills have entered the United States. Traditionally, fentanyl and its analogs have been mixed with white-powder heroin mostly found in the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. Fentanyl-related overdoses largely have been restricted to heroin addicts in those areas.
However, the deadly counterfeit pills also threaten prescription drug addicts. The fear is that prescription drug abusers who turn to the street to find drugs when their prescriptions run out will become victims of the counterfeit pills.
Recent investigations in Ohio and Florida indicate that the increases in fentanyl-related deaths do not involve prescription fentanyl but fentanyl that is created in illicit labs. Using pill presses that can be purchased online, drug distributors press the fentanyl into pills that look nearly identical to other drugs.
Renowned musician Prince is believed to be a victim of the fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills. Pills seized inside his Paisley Park compound near Minneapolis, Minn., after his death in April were labeled as hydrocodone but actually contained fentanyl, according to published reports.
The DEA alerted police and first-responders of the danger in June, when it sent a video to all law enforcement agencies nationwide about the dangers of improperly handling the drug and its deadly consequences — especially to drug-sniffing police dogs.
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©2016 The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
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Elephant tranquilizer leads to more than 100 overdoses in Ohio, two other states


Carfentanil — a drug created to knock out elephants — is believed to be the drug behind more than 100 overdoses in three states in the past two weeks.


The Main Street School educator is the national winner in Ohio for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Known as PAEMST, it is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12th-grade mathematics or science (including computer science) teacher can receive.
“It’s a long process,” said Principal Dan Bauman, who hosted a breakfast in Burns’ honor Friday in the library.
One educator in science and math is selected from every state. More than 4,600 teachers have been honored for their classroom contributions and to their profession since 1983.
“It was a very long process. It was a very intense process,” Burns said.
Honorees receive a certificate signed by the president, a trip to Washington to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, according to the PAEMST recognition program website. PAEMST is a collaboration between the National Science Foundation and Executive Office of the President.
“It shows science is not just a subject. She brings it to life for the kids,” Bauman said, referring to Burns receiving the award.
Bauman said Burns excels at the “real-world application” of science.
Burns said she gets her students to engage with scientists from around the world whom she has met through various professional development opportunities.
“Sometimes we’ll Skype,” she added. “We go outside a lot.”
Burns has started a program at Main Street called Letters to Pre-Scientists for her students in her Reading in the Content Area class.
“Some of my students will be pen pals with scientists. They will communicate four times a year,” she said.
Burns hopes her students will use the experience to get a “good science background” and be inspired with intriguing ideas for their spring research projects.
Modestly and with a smile, Burns said receiving the PAEMST honor is special and exciting.
“I think it’s a validation of what I do, but also what the science department does. And I hope we get the kids thinking continually about science, not just researching it,” she said.

Main Street teacher honored with national award


Fifth-grade science teacher Marcy Burns is in elite company.
The Main Street School educator is the national winner in Ohio for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in


The lawsuit charges Dennis W. Benjamin and Gloryview Windows and More LLC with violating state consumer protection laws.
According to the lawsuit, the company offered window and door installations, among other home remodeling services, but provided shoddy, substandard, or incomplete work after accepting payment from consumers.
Estimated consumer damages currently total approximately $57,000, based on seven unresolved complaints from consumers in the counties of Muskingum, Coshocton, Fairfield, and Noble.
“These are expensive projects, and consumers expect to receive what they pay for,” DeWine said. “Our goal is to help consumers who have been harmed and to protect other consumers from experiencing similar problems.”
The Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed in the Muskingum County Common Pleas Court, accuses Dennis W. Benjamin and Gloryview Windows and More of violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Home Solicitation Sales Act by failing to deliver promised services, performing shoddy and substandard work, and failing to provide proper notice to consumers about their cancellation rights. In the lawsuit, Attorney General DeWine seeks an end to any violations of the laws, restitution for consumers, and civil penalties.
Consumers can help protect themselves from home improvement problems by taking the following steps:
• Research the business. Ask family, friends, or neighbors for the names of contractors they recommend. Contact other customers to ask about their experiences with the business. Check for complaints on file with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau. Conduct an Internet search using the business’s name and words such as “complaints” or “reviews” to gather more information.
• Get multiple estimates. Be wary if one contractor quotes a price that is much lower than the prices other businesses are offering. The contractor later may demand more money or fail to complete the work as promised.
• Don’t make large payments in advance. Be wary of contractors who demand large upfront payments, such as half or more of the total cost.
• Get a detailed written contract. Insist on a written contract detailing the costs, the work to be done, and the starting and end dates. If the contract resulted from a door-to-door sale, make sure it includes notice of your cancellation rights under Ohio’s Home Solicitation Sales Act.
• Consider paying with a credit card. Paying with a credit card generally gives you greater protections to dispute unauthorized charges, especially compared to paying in cash.
Consumers who suspect a scam should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.

State sues home improvement contractor, seeking consumer restitution


ZANESVILLE — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has announced a lawsuit against a Zanesville home improvement contractor accused of failing to deliver promised services to consumers


His new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, was asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” if Trump still wants a “deportation force” to remove everyone in the country illegally.
“To be determined,” she said.
Trump is “wrestling” with how to remove those in the country illegally, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., an adviser to Trump on immigration matters, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
The aides’ comments appeared to be the latest sign that Trump’s newly installed management team may be trying to broaden his appeal to stem his steady fall in the polls with less than three months until Election Day.
Trump has never explained how he intended to find, detain and deport millions of people, many of whom have built businesses and started families in the U.S., or how he would pay for it even if it passed judicial scrutiny.
He has compared his proposal to “Operation Wetback,” a controversial program carried out in 1954 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. More than 1 million people were apprehended, mostly from border areas in Texas and California, and sent back to Mexico.
Any easing of Trump’s hard-line stance on immigration — which also includes building a wall along the border with Mexico and temporarily banning Muslim immigrants — could alienate some of his most ardent supporters.
After a year of using harsh rhetoric against Latinos, such as calling Mexican migrants rapists and repeatedly attacking a federal judge as unfair because his family was from Mexico, polls show he faces intense opposition among Latinos.
His campaign thus has moved in recent days to soften his edges and to try to shift attention past the turmoil caused by the shake-up of his top management team last week.
In Charlotte, N.C., Trump announced “regret” that some of his heated comments — he didn’t say which — may have caused personal pain. In Fredericksburg, Va., he said the Republican Party must “do better” to reach out to African American voters.
And in New York City Saturday, Trump told his campaign’s newly named Latino advisory council that he wants to find a “humane and efficient” solution to deal with illegal immigration.
He “did not make a firm commitment” to the group on how deportations would work, Sessions said.
Trump is expected to speak about immigration policy Thursday in Colorado. Conway said he will be more specific on his immigration plan “as the weeks unfold.”
“What he supports is to make sure that we enforce the law, that we are respectful of those Americans who are looking for well-paying jobs and that we are fair and humane for those who live among us in this country,” Conway said.
Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, has called for providing a path to legal status for some of the people in the country illegally.
A bipartisan immigration reform bill that would have boosted border security while providing a path for citizenship passed the Senate in 2013 but died in the Republican-led House.
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©2016 Tribune Co.
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Trump ‘wrestling’ with how - and whether - to deport 11 million people


Aides to Donald Trump suggested Sunday that the Republican presidential nominee may be reconsidering his campaign promise to round up and deport 11 million people who are in the United


He was born May 28, 1934 in Webster Springs, West Virginia, to the late Dancil A. and Elsie (Adamy) Henline, and came to this area in 1961 from Morgantown, West Virginia. Don retired from Ford Motor Company in Lorain, Ohio, and was a member of U.A.W. Local #425. He enjoyed working on cars, fishing, was a Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians fan, camping with his late wife, Glenna, and spending time with his children, and grandchildren.
Don is survived by his children, Brenda (Randy) Black of North Port, Florida, Donald M. Henline, Jr. of Norwalk, Ohio, and Mark (Missy) Henline of Norwalk, Ohio, 10 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings, Delmos Henline of Vermilion, Ohio, Billy Henline of Vermilion, Ohio, Darryl Henline of Pennsylvania, David Henline of Lorain, Ohio, Caroline Carol of Akron, Ohio, and Chesaline Goad of West Virginia.
Don was preceded in death by his wife, Glenna in 2008, and by his brother, Denver Henline, and by his sisters, Jackie Spangler, Jessaline Henline, and Jearline Thomas.
Friends may call on Friday, August 26, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Walker Funeral Home, 98 West Main Street, Norwalk, Ohio, where funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Rev. Donald New, Pastor of Trinity Temple, Milan Ohio, will officiate. Interment will be in Collins Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hartland Hospice, 907 West State Street, Fremont, Ohio 43420. Online condolences may be made by going to http://www.edwalkerfuneralhome.com./


COLLINS — Donald M. Henline, 82, of Collins, passed away Sunday, August 21, 2016.
He was born May 28, 1934 in Webster Springs, West Virginia, to the


Randy was a kind and caring person who always made you smile. He had many close friends and relatives and will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his Sons, Scott (Penny) Oney and Cliff (Jane) Oney; 5 grandchildren, Ethan, Mya, Cody, Samantha and Jerry Harris, III; his siblings Julia Jane (Mitchel) Hicks, Janet (Joe) Ward and Paula (Ed) Fife.
Friends and family will be received from 6 – 8 p.m. Thursday, August 25, 2016 at the Eastman Funeral Home, 49 West Main St., Greenwich where funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday with Pastor Gary Adkins officiating. Burial will follow at Ninevah Cemetery, Greenwich. Memorials may be given to Hospice of North Central Ohio, 1050 Dauch Dr., Ashland, Ohio 44805. Online condolences may be made at: www.eastmanfuneralhome.com


WILLARD — Charles Randel Oney, age 63, of Willard, passed away on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at North Central Hospice House in Ashland. Randy was born September 9, 1952 in


New inmates at the Huron County Jail, Aug. 29, 2016
Here are pictures and information from the Huron County Jail regarding new inmates for Aug. 29, 2016:


Here are pictures and information from the Huron County Jail regarding new inmates for Aug. 29,


New inmates at the Huron County Jail, Aug. 29, 2016


Visitation will be at Secor Funeral Home in Plymouth from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, August 29 where a funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Memorial contributions can be made to the family. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.secorfuneralhomes.com


PLYMOUTH — Randy A. Gullett, 52, of Plymouth, died Friday at St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Visitation will be at Secor Funeral Home in


It is finally here and they are sporting some high expectations on the court. With four seniors, six juniors and a freshman on the roster, the Trojans have the veteran leadership and youth to make a run at a Firelands Conference title and a fun postseason.
Summer Sweeting returns after an injury plagued season a year ago. She is joined by Olivia Keysor, Lexie Adams and Erin Brown as the seniors looking to leave their mark on the program.
It is those seniors that have head coach Sara Hohler setting high goals for her team.
“I think it is going to be a great season for us,” Hohler said. “We have a great group of seniors who are some of the best leaders we have ever had here. They have set such high goals for the team.”
A stacked junior class featuring six roster players has South Central flying under the radar and potentially a very dangerous team moving forward. Jenna West, Maddie Albert, Sarah Oney, Danielle Ott, Sam Jayes and Cheyenne Swander are expected to step up and use their final two seasons to make some noise in the a Firelands Conference dominated by St. Paul and Monroeville for many years.
Hohler is excited to see how much her junior group grows from the senior leadership they receive this season.
“I am hoping my seniors continue to step up and take lead this team the way they have for years,” Hohler said. “They are all a huge part of helping our team grow.”
Izzy Hauler is the final roster player – a freshman.
The Trojans started the season with a win over Sandusky St. Mary’s and an away loss to St. Paul on Tuesday. They were able to put up 18, 19 and 17 points in their 3-game loss and owned the lead midway through each to put pressure on the Flyers. It was a positive outing for Hohler’s group and she saw some things she would like to see cleaned up heading forward.
“We want to build consistency with our ball control,” Hohler said. “We really just want to get better as a team in every aspect of volleyball. Our serve receiving is always something we are working on. We don't want to take any steps back as the season rolls along. I think if we can do that, we will be in a very nice position at the end of the season.”
The Trojans are back in action on Tuesday against Monroeville to finish up a tough part of the schedule, but a good measuring stick moving forward.
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South Central encouraged success will come


GREENWITCH – The South Central Lady Trojans volleyball team has has 2016 circled for years.
It is finally here and they are sporting some high expectations on


The council rarely fails to come to a consensus on issues presented to the members. Drinking and fences though have been hot topics this year.
Earlier this year, Angela and Adam Byington, owners of the Milan Wine Post at 1 N. Main St., Milan had plans approved for a fence to contain those wishing to drink outside on the business’ patio.
The stipulation was put in the contract that the fence needed to be temporary and removed each night at 9 p.m. to prevent injuries of anyone walking or riding bikes on the sidewalk in the morning. It also served as a way of keeping a good, consistent look for the downtown area.
Angela Byington though came to Wednesday’s meeting to inform the council that the Division of Liquor Control denied her license until she had a permanent fence in place.
“So we’re seeking your approval to erect the fence up permanently,” Angela said. “We’d really like to have this ready and approved in time for the Melon Festival.”
The board though, was divided on its support of granting approval.
“I have an issue with this. When we discussed this fence with the liquor license initially we came to a middle ground, which was to have it come down each night,” said President Jim Brown.
“Some of us weren’t in favor of it but we came to a compromise. My recommendation to council is to table it. The season only lasts through October, so it’s almost over anyway. We already have a good start on it start discussion for next year then so we can all come to an agreement. It's ready for us to take before design review board. I think it would be best to leave it to that board.”
“I for one think we should approve it,” councilman John Fox said. “She's done everything we've asked. It's not her fault our removable fence isn’t going to work. I don’t see a problem with it.”
“I'm not prepared to change the ordinance with a month to go in the season,” Brown said again.
“Like I said, my recommendation to council is to table for this year and start discussion early for next year and make sure everyone is on the same page. Then we can look at it as being a permanent fence, make sure it’s safe and if it has good aesthetics to match what we want the downtown area to look like.”
The council took a vote, ending in a 4-2 decision to accept the fencing as permanent. This allowed the Milan Wine post to keep the fencing up permanently effective immediately Wednesday night. Byington still needed to receive approval from the Division of Liquor Control. The permanent fence though, put her one step closer to obtaining the license.
After the decision was made, Mayor Steve Rockwell gave his approval of he fence.
“This is strictly in my opinion, but I think the fence looks good,” he said. “I happened to ride past on my bicycle and I saw there were no impact points and it was tall enough no one would fall over it. I think it’s nice.”
“Thank you so much for considering this and expediting it,” Byington told council.
“This means a lot to us and we look forward to serving the community, especially during the Melon Festival. If in the future you would like us to comply to any other standards you set in place if other businesses start to set fences up, to help make it more uniform, we’re more than willing to do whatever you need.”

Mixed feelings over fencing for patio drinking


MILAN — The Milan council dealt with some mixed feelings Wednesday during the regular meeting.
The council rarely fails to come to a consensus on issues


Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates said the government is “beginning the process of reducing — and ultimately ending — our use of privately operated prisons” by not renewing contracts for 14 such facilities, most of which are in Texas or elsewhere across the South.
Prison reformers hailed the move as a positive step toward ending the era of mass incarceration. The idea of corporations building and operating prisons for government took off in the 1980s and 1990s when tough-on-crime policies swelled the nation’s prison population.
From 1980 to its peak in 2013, the federal prison population grew from 25,000 to 219,000. By then, about 30,000, or 15 percent, were held in the corporate-run prisons.
But the number of federal inmates dropped by about 22,000 over the last two years, and Obama administration officials have questioned the value of using privately run facilities.
An inspector general’s report released last week found “more safety and security incidents per capita” at the corporate-run prisons, compared with those run by the Bureau of Prisons.
Citing the recent report, Yates said that while “private prisons served an important role during a difficult period … time has shown that they compared poorly to our own bureau facilities.”
“They simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs and resources; they do not save substantially on costs, and … they do not maintain the same level of safety and security,” she said.
The gradual phase-out would reduce the total private-prison population to fewer than 14,000 inmates by May, she said.
The decision does not affect privately run facilities that are used to hold migrants suspected of immigration violations.
Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, hailed the decision as a “major milestone in the movement away from mass incarceration.”
He said the advent of private prisons helped fuel the “unprecedented growth in incarceration.”
“It has been a stain on our democracy to permit profit-making entities to be handed the responsibility of making determinations of individual liberty,” Mauer said.
Todd R. Clear, a prison policy expert at the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, agreed that profits played a role in the growth of the prison population.
“As long as we have people making money off of prisons, the ability to make sound prison policy is distorted by the profit motive,” he said. “Getting them out of the picture is a necessary step in getting the prison numbers reduced.”
While the Justice Department may be backing away from private prisons, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Agency recently signed a four-year contract with CCA to build and maintain detention facilities in Texas to hold asylum seekers.
The surge in Central American families crossing the border prompted U.S. officials to seek new facilities to hold them while their claims were heard.
Some Democrats on Capitol Hill have questioned this growing reliance on corporate facilities for holding immigrants.
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., called Thursday’s announcement “an important first step in addressing this unacceptable situation, but it is not enough. We must insist that these changes are adopted by all federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, which relies heavily on private prisons even for housing vulnerable women and children. Incarceration should not be a for-profit business.”
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©2016 Tribune Co.
Visit Tribune Co. at www.latimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Justice Department will phase out private prisons


WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is phasing out its use of corporate-run prisons, after concluding its experiment in privatization failed to reduce costs and assure the safety


ODNR Division of Wildlife officers had received several complaints concerning a group of anglers from Wisconsin who were fishing Lake Erie and exceeding the daily bag limit of walleye.
In May, state wildlife officers and investigators along Lake Erie contacted the suspects. Officers discovered that nearly all of the walleye had been cut into chunks in an attempt to disguise how many fish had been kept. Because of instances like this, Ohio law states that fillets must be kept whole until anglers reach their permanent residence, or until the fish are prepared for immediate consumption. During the investigation, officers seized more than 500 pounds of walleye meat. Twenty-four individuals from Wisconsin and one individual from Ohio were issued 46 summonses for possession of cut fillets, and two summonses for keeping more than the limit of walleye.
The defendants were found guilty and ordered to pay $1,472 in fines and $1,856 in court costs. All of the seized walleye were forfeited to the ODNR Division of Wildlife and were donated to people in northwest Ohio through several outlets, including the Erie County Care Facility, the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky County and the Luther Home of Mercy in Ottawa County.
This project was a success because concerned citizens took the time and made the effort to notify state wildlife officers. Ohio’s fish and wildlife resources are managed as a public trust on behalf of all Ohioans, and state wildlife officers enforce wildlife rules to ensure future generations are able to enjoy those resources. The willingness of law-abiding citizens to provide information concerning illegal taking of wildlife is necessary for officers to effectively enforce wildlife laws.
The ODNR Division of Wildlife encourages anyone who is aware of a possible violation of wildlife laws to call the Turn In a Poacher (TIP) line at 800-POACHER (800-762-2437) or to submit information online at wildohio.gov. All information received by the TIP program will remain confidential.

5 anglers convicted of illegally possessing walleye


Twenty-five individuals were recently charged and convicted in Ottawa County Municipal Court following an investigation of out-of-state anglers exceeding the walleye daily bag limit,


He was born September 11, 1934 and was a lifelong resident of the area, and for many years was a snowbird. Jimmie was a 1952 graduate of St. Paul High School. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 serving in Yokohama, Japan, and was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus Council #626, and American Legion Post #41 of Norwalk, Ohio. Jimmy will be remembered and admired by so many for his outstanding work ethic, and many decades with Hug Concrete and Oglesby Construction.
He is survived by his daughter, Jackie McFadden Parker (Tim), and by his son, Jamie, by three grandchildren, Nick, Ben, and Elizabeth. Jimmie is also survived by seven siblings, Mrs. Maureen Spettel, Mrs. Pauline Schaffer, Mrs. Joanne Schaffer, Ms. Rita McFadden, Mr. Neil McFadden, Mr. Mike McFadden, and Mrs. Kathleen Osbourne, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Dorothy Limbird McFadden, by his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Michael (Pauline) (Boose) McFadden, by his sister, Mrs. Margaret Stanley, and by his brother, Mr. John (Jack) McFadden.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held in St. Paul Catholic Church, 91 East Main Street, Norwalk, Ohio, on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Catholic School, 66 Chapel Street, Monroeville, Ohio 44847. Walker Funeral Home, 98 West Main Street, Norwalk, Ohio is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be made by going to www.edwalkerfuneralhome.com.


NORWALK — James Michael McFadden, 81, passed away peacefully in his home Wednesday morning, August 24, 2016.
He was born September 11, 1934 and was a


At Whistler Drive, the city council decided to eliminate a stop sign, near the high school.
“Originally they had put the stop sign in because the high school’s front sidewalk was right there,” City manager Jim Ludban said. “Now that the high school is gone, it’s been moved over, we saw the stop sign was unnecessary. So it’ll be a through street from Euclid to Dale.”
This could have been an decision of concern for area parents, but Ludban assures, there is no reason to fret. The decision was not made in haste.
“I had the police department look at it and the fire department look at it,” he said. “We had several people telling us it should be removed and giving us their opinions. I feel pretty good about it.”
North and south streets in Willard also will become through streets. Ludban said the stop signs that at one time prevented it were due to a school that is no longer there.
“Also, Euclid at Pearl Street we removed the stop sign,” he said. “There’s no stop sign on Woodlawn down to Tiffin Street. And it’s the same thing with Woodbine. It used to be a through street as well. We removed the stop sign at at Howard Street because the hospital is gone now, so that’ll make that kind of a through street.”
Ludban said the council elected to keep the stop sign at High Street that is near the park for safety.
“We removed the stop signs where they were no longer necessary,” he said. “Some people say, ‘well, won’t that encourage speeding?’ That’s what we have a police force for. It’s already 25 mph through there. And if we get a lot of concerned calls or notice something we need to consider, we’ll look at it again.”
Most of the changes are slated to take place in the next couple weeks, giving drivers a chance to realize the coming changes.
“We posted a sign informing the citizens of the upcoming traffic changes so they can prepare and so they know what to expect,” Ludban said. “I wanted to have them out for a couple weeks beforehand so people have an idea of what’s going on and so they know.”


WILLARD — Willard will be redesigning how a few of the roadway traffic flows in the coming weeks, including removing several stop signs.
At Whistler Drive, the