By JOSH BURRIS

NORWALK — The St. Paul boys basketball team started the season in style.

After a blowout win over Monroeville on Friday night in its season opener, freshman point guard Nick Winslow said the Flyers have to keep the train moving.

They did just that Saturday night in a 77-32 win against visiting Crestview at Harvey Keller Gymnasium to improve to 2-0 in the Firelands Conference and overall.

St. Paul head coach Mike Smith said the key to their big wins is all-around great team basketball.

“We’ve got a bunch of unselfish kids right now that love to play hard, and obviously we’re talented,” Smith said. “We got size, we got athleticism, kids that can shoot. And if we keep playing hard — we could be a pretty nice team.”

One night after 10 players scored in a 71-23 win over Monroeville, the Flyers got 12 players in the scorebook in Saturday’s win.

Senior Chris Ruffing led the team with 16 points and threw down a few slam dunks while in the process. Winslow added 11, and Ian Kashian came off the bench to score 12.

Smith also said he is impressed with how much his team has progressed in such a short time. The Flyers will be starting just their third week of practice this week because of the deep playoff run the football team made.

“When you look at all that, where we have started from and where we are at right now, you got to be pretty dang excited,” he said.

The game was tied at 4-4 in the first quarter, and then it was all St. Paul from there. The Flyers went on a 20-0 run to end the quarter to take a commanding 24-4 lead. Winslow led the scoring run with seven points.

Crestview (1-3, 1-2) finally ended the run, scoring the first basket of the second quarter. Then the Flyers got back to work, outscoring the Cougars 23-9 in the rest of the quarter. St. Paul continued to spread the ball around and get the ball in the basket. It went into halftime with a 47-13 lead.

Both teams began to bring in their subs in the fourth quarter while the starters rested. Kashian scored 10 of his 12 points in this quarter, including six straight points for the Flyers.

After two big wins with a point differential of 93, Smith said he would like to see his team keep bringing the same amount of effort in their two non-conference games this week at Huron on Friday and at home against Edison on Saturday.

“We just got to keep bringing the juice,” Smith said. “We got to keep bringing energy, keep playing for each other. Not play for one, play for all. That is kind of our motto. Any given night anybody can do anything. That is what is nice about this team.”

Nick Lukasko and Nate Winslow each added nine points for St. Paul.

In the junior varsity game, the Flyers made it a sweep with a 65-61 win. Alex Kashian scored 22 points, and Ian Kashian added 18 — with Noah Avendano adding nine points and Justin Hammersmith scoring eight.

By Norwalk Reflector Staff

Members of Union Home Mortgage Corp.’s Todd Lillo Team in Norwalk were proud recipients of three notable awards in October: UHM’s President’s Club and Customer Service awards and the Firelands Association of Realtors Affiliate of the Year award.

The President’s Club Award, UHM’s highest honor, is presented to the company’s top 10 percent producers in the country. The Customer Service Award is given to offices achieving the highest customer-satisfaction survey scores nationwide.

“Earning both the President’s Club and Customer Service Awards always remains our goal,” said Todd Lillo, branch manager and loan originator since 1995. “This truly shows we’re not only assisting a high volume of mortgage customers but ensuring they have an experience exceeding their expectations.”

The Todd Lillo Team also was named Firelands Association of Realtors 2017 Affiliate of the Year, voted upon by real-estate professionals throughout the Firelands region.

“That was extra special, the real-estate community in our area is top notch,” Lillo said. “To get the nod from them means the world. The Partners working in our office are outstanding, they make my job and our customers’ and Realtors’ experiences great ones.”

Union Home Mortgage Corp. is located at 19 Whittlesey Ave. in Norwalk. Office members include licensed loan officers Samantha Ramos and Megan Meadows, Office Administrator Olivia Sidoti and Transaction Coordinator Aja Schadwil.

Cary Ashby

The art of the deal and learning to improvise is part of what the St. Paul High School students learn during their Model U.N. experience.

Sophomore Maggie Centa said there was some “petty teenage drama” since there was also peer pressure involved in accepting another “country”/school’s resolution.

“It’s hard; you have to stand out,” junior Kaitlyn Bryant added.

Model U.N. allows students to do the work of United Nations delegates. During the three-day event, schools from across Ohio choose a country to represent. The two groups of St. Paul students represented Finland and Turkmenistan.

Upon selecting a related problem that impacts other countries, the students prepare a resolution based on their research and then present it to the general council. The first night is dedicated to small-council sessions.

“The 12 people in your group decide to pass it (your resolution) or not to pass it,” sophomore Jarret Schaffer said.

Finland had a resolution to safely store nuclear waste. Turkmenistan proposed a new committee to create more efficient power plants.

“Most of the power plants were old and not very environmentally-friendly,” Schaffer said.

The St. Paul students faced the challenges of meeting other people and negotiating a “yes” vote behind the scenes. At one point, sophomore Patrick Matlack said he couldn’t sense the “feel of the room,” so he spent time going to other delegates to work on promising their supporting votes.

Junior Lauren Pabst was part of the Finland group.

“Our speech was not as well prepared as it could have been and some of us were nervous,” she said.

However, Pabst said participating in Model U.N. has made her St. Paul government class easier since she now can understand the language of politics better.

Some students said they learned they needed to start writing their speeches as soon as possible and include more facts, which could help them be more persuasive with their resolution. 

“Next time we need to spend more time on our resolution,” said Schaffer, who was in the Turkmenistan group. 

Both St. Paul groups also witnessed groups which had presentations with “holes and flaws,” something they said made it fun to present a question, leaving other students scrambling for an answer.

Some schools have classes dedicated to Model U.N. St. Paul meets once a week after school.

“So they were a lot more prepared than we were,” Matlack said. “There were different levels of intensity.”

The students learned to think on their feet.

“There was a lot of improv. You never knew what was going to happen,” Schaffer said.

The St. Paul students who attended Model U.N. were: Bryant, Centa, Matlack, Pabst, Schaffer, juniors Rachel Beat, Abby Takacs and Jack Kaple and sophomores Nathaniel Tokarsky, Ethan Larson, Griffin Schwan, David Swope and Cam Caizzo.

By Dr. Chetan Hampole

While most people enjoy the special memories the holiday season brings, did you know that it is also the most common season for heart attacks? Researchers have found that incidences of deadly heart attacks spike around Christmas and New Year’s Day.

According to a study published in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association (AHA), the winter holiday season is considered a risk factor for cardiac and non-cardiac death.

While researchers don’t know exactly why heart attacks are more common around holidays, they note a number of possible reasons, including changes in diet and alcohol consumption during the holidays, stress from family interactions, strained finances, travel and entertaining, respiratory problems from burning wood, and not paying attention to the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

The first question, of course, is why this happens. Doctors have long known that cold weather is hard on the heart. Very cold temperatures are thought to affect the heart by increasing blood pressure and also increasing the chances of blood clotting.

But cold weather alone does not explain the spike. According to a 2004 study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego and Tufts University, the number of cardiac deaths is higher on Dec. 25 than on any other day of the year, second highest on Dec. 26, and third highest on Jan. 1. What’s more, holiday heart attacks happen at the same rate in balmy places like Los Angeles as they do in chilly northern Ohio.

One theory is that people don’t want to disrupt festivities, so they ignore symptoms they otherwise might respond to. It’s also possible that out-of-town travelers might take longer to find medical care, as they are unfamiliar with the area.

What causes a heart attack and what are the warning signs?

Coronary artery disease is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis (sometimes called "hardening" or "clogging" of the arteries) is the buildup of cholesterol and fatty deposits (called plaque) on the inner walls of the arteries that restricts blood flow to the heart.

Without adequate blood, the heart becomes starved of oxygen and the vital nutrients it needs to work properly. This can cause chest pain called angina. When one or more of the coronary arteries are completely blocked, a heart attack (injury to the heart muscle) may occur.

The heart muscle needs this continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients to function.

A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes suddenly blocked, stopping the flow of blood to the heart muscle and damaging it.

The warning signs of a heart attack include:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

So what can you do to keep your heart healthy during the holidays?

• Avoid prolonged exposure to the cold. When you do go outside, dress in layers and keep warm. If the driveway needs to shoveled, hire someone to do it instead of doing it yourself, especially if you have coronary artery disease.

• Avoid stress. As fun as the holidays are, we all know they can be anxiety-producing. Don’t worry about doing everything perfectly. Skip the marathon baking session and, instead, bake a batch or two with your grandson. Let your out-of-town guests treat you to dinner at a restaurant rather than insisting on making every meal yourself. It is also important to limit your financial stress. So, instead of showering people with expensive gifts, find more meaningful ways to spread the holiday cheer.

• Know when to stop. Eating food releases many hormones into the bloodstream, which can increase the heart rate and blood pressure, creating an extra burden on the heart. A big meal can also adversely affect the heart by spiking insulin levels, which decreases the normal relaxation of the coronary arteries.

• Limit alcohol. A drink or two is fine, but binge drinking can be especially dangerous for those at risk of a heart attack. It can lead to atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm in which disorganized electrical signals cause the heart’s two upper chambers to contract irregularly. That, in turn, increases the risk of heart failure, heart attacks and stroke.

• Stay on track. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday, it’s easy to skip your doctor’s appointment or forget to take your medication. In reality, this is the time of year when you must be most vigilant about your health.

• Don’t delay. If you feel chest pain or other symptoms, call 911. Don’t postpone treatment because you’re worried about spoiling the fun.

• Catch your breath. Yes, you’re busy. But take some time to head outside for a short walk and a little sunshine. Sneak in 10 minutes of yoga. Spend time in prayer or meditation. Skip that holiday party you were dreading and spend a quiet night at home watching “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

The best present you can give to yourself — and to your loved ones — is to take care of yourself. To schedule an appointment to discuss any heart health concerns you may have, call us at 419-660-6946.

Dr. Chetan Hampole is board-certified in cardiovascular disease. He is a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist and Fisher-Titus Cardiology Division Director at the Snyder/White Heart & Vascular Center.

It looks like congressional Republicans will get their long-awaited chance to slash taxes soon. Perhaps as early as Monday or Tuesday, it is expected a vote will be taken on the “tax reform” package that has been worked on largely in secret, with the help of a slew of lobbyists.

Few have been touting the benefits of this plan as much as Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), whose Twitter feed is filled with clips of him touting the plan and how it will benefit Ohioans.

He’s also been active writing opinion pieces for newspapers and recently went on a tour of the state’s auto plants touting benefits of the tax plan.

“The result of these changes, the Tax Foundation says, will be nearly one million new jobs for the U.S. and more than 35,000 new jobs in Ohio,” he wrote in a recent opinion piece on Cleveland.Com.

Yesterday, a website called aftertaxreform.com, cited a study by an outfit called John Dunham and Associates, whose website describes itself as “an economic research firm with 25 years of experience and specializing in tax and regulatory economics,” that went far beyond the jobs claims of Portman.

Their report says the the GOP tax plan will create 199,122 jobs in Ohio in 2018 alone.

But they are not stopping there. In 2019, the plan will create 109,140 jobs; in 2020, it’s back up to 194,498 new jobs; 192,865 in 2021; 190,003 in 2022; and then it starts falling off until 2027, when it’s residual effects will still create 109,450 new jobs.

Happy Days are here again, huh?

It’s not our purpose here to promote or oppose passage of tax reform. It’s few among us who wouldn’t like to bring home more money in our paychecks. Everybody likes that.

Our issue is with the jobs claims. Forgetting for a moment that they may be a tad far-fetched, (even words like “outrageous,” “ridiculous, “insane” and “lies” come to mind), but even if through some miracle, just 10 percent of the jobs claims came to fruition, can Portman, or John Dunham and Associates tell us who would work these jobs?

The biggest economic issue facing businesses and manufacturers in our area is finding qualified employees, particularly ones who are not tanked up on heroin or meth or whatever the drug of choice is these days.

They are not there.

A source told us in a discussion at a recent nearby county economic development authority meeting centered on the tales of woes employers are having finding employees, with some saying the regularly have 30 open positions. An employer from a neighboring county told the group flat out that he didn’t want to see any more industry come to his area because it would further dilute the pool of available labor. And it’s the same discussion at nearly every meeting of the group.

Closer to home, there are probably few who haven’t heard rumors of entire crews being taken off jobs for failure to pass drug tests.

Surely Sen. Portman is aware of this. If he’s not, then maybe Ohio businesses and manufacturers need to be in the market for another senator?

By all means Sen Portman is free and even expected to tout the benefits of his and his party’s claims of putting more money into the pockets of his constituents. He should refrain, however, from making obviously false claims of job creation that are as likely to materialize as a junkie turning down a free fix, and that even if they did, there would be nobody available to fill them.

We are in the midst of a real workforce crisis in our area. It’s our guess most employers would appreciate their representatives in Congress helping to address it rather than insulting them with outrageous claims.

The Huron County commissioners have accepted the Jan. 28 retirement of a landfill worker.

James Martin has been a recycling/transfer station operator for the Huron County Solid Waste District.

“We will be hiring for that position,” Commissioner Skip Wilde said after Tuesday’s meeting.

In other news, a leak discovered in the bell tower at the Huron County Courthouse is being repaired.

“It was going into the courtroom,” Wilde said, referring to the large courtroom used by common pleas Judge Jim Conway.

The work crew started working on repairs shortly after Thanksgiving. The completion date is unknown.

“They are still working on it,” said Wilde, who estimated the cost of the job is between $46,000 and $47,000.

Cary Ashby

Outgoing Norwalk school board members Kevin Cashen and Rob Ludwig were honored during Tuesday’s meeting.

Cashen, who served one term, was the vice president in 2016 and the president this year. Ludwig, who was on the board for 13 years, was the board president in 2008, 2009 and 2016 and the vice president in 2007.

Corey Ream, Norwalk City Schools director of operations, said both board members are very thorough, analytical and “keep your feet to the fire a little bit.” Also, Ream said Cashen and Ludwig consistently asked how any decision the board and/or district might consider would benefit students.

District treasurer Joyce Dupont thanked Cashen and Ludwig for their service.

Ludwig and Cashen were presented with lifetime sports passes, a plaque and “thank-you notes from the kids.”

In other personnel action, the board accepted the resignation of Dustin Brown as the director of support services, which will be effect at the end of the day, Jan. 11. He held that position for 16 years and has taken a job with Lake Erie Construction.

Board members, in a related move, accepted the resignation of Kelly Ross as the assistant director of support services and director of food service, effective Dec. 11. The board then approved employing her to be the director of support services. Ross’ three-year contract is effective from Dec. 11 of this year through July 31, 2020.

Also, the board approved the job description and salary schedule for the associate director of support services.

In other action, the board:

• Accepted an anonymous $1,060 donation for all the sixth-grade language arts students at Main Street School to attend the movie “Wonder.”

• Accepted donations of framed national and state mottos from the Norwalk VFW Auxiliary Post 2743, which will be displayed in each of the district buildings, including the central office.

“This is the sixth school we’ve had posters in,” said Karen Austin, president of the the Norwalk VFW Auxiliary.

The other schools are: Edison, Western Reserve, Sandusky, Trinity Academy and Firelands.

The state motto — “with God all things are possible” — also is on the back of all the marked cruisers with the Norwalk Police Department.

“There hasn’t been one negative comment,” Chief Dave Light said.

On Jan. 9, the board will have its organizational meeting at 6:45 p.m. at the Norwalk High School Fisher-Titus Learning Center. The records retention commission will meet at 7:15 and the regular board meeting is at 7:30.

Board member Lisa Wick accepted Cashen’s nomination to be the president for 2018.

It was back to business Tuesday for Norwalk City Council after passing the 2018 budget last week.

Discussed at the work session were the sale of two used fire trucks, money for the Norwalk Economic Development Corp. the the use of a $300,000 Brownfields Grant.

Talking about the grant, Public Works Director Josh Snyder said “we’ll take the money as we can go with assessments.”

Snyder said this money just will be used to see what does and does not need to be cleaned up. If anything is found, then another grant will be needed to clean up the affected area or areas.

“We want to do as much as we can,” Snyder said, adding the city has a priority list.

Topping that list is the old Bargain Center on U.S. 250 and Lais Road, the old PIPO site and Stokely’s.

Councilman Steve Schumm asked about the Eagle Gas Station and Snyder said the building is up for an auditor’s auction Feb. 29 and nothing will be done until then.

Councilman Dwight Tkach, who is completing the term of Kelly Beck, thanked everyone for his brief time on council.

He previously served on council.

“I appreciate sitting in for Mr. Beck. He’s like a brother (Chris Mushett) and he’s like a rich uncle (Steve Euton),” Tkach said with a laugh. “I’ve worked with these guys a long time and I appreciate all of the hard work Michelle Reeder is doing taking over for Diane Eschen.”

Although the budget was passed, Tkach said it can be re-opened. He said it would be wise for city officials to encourage all employees to avoid the emergency room it at all possible to save money, and that the city should not be on the hook for the 38 parades held in town.

“There should be some sweat-equity,” for the people holding the parades, he said, noting the police and fire combined for $250,000 in overtime costs this year.

“I love this city and I owe it a lot.”

Council will meet for the final time in 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday as it will take Dec. 26 off. It will be the final meeting for Tkach and longtime councilman Chris Mushett, who decided to retire.

Council will hold three meetings on Jan 2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. First will be the organizational meeting, followed by a work session and then the regular session.’

BERLIN HEIGHTS — Henry R. Ostheimer (80) has taken his last ride off into the sunset of earth to a beautiful sunrise in Heaven surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in his small family home on Milan Road in Sandusky, Ohio and has been a lifelong resident of Berlin Heights. He graduated from Saint Mary’s High School in 1955.

Henry married Deanna M. (Bunting) June 21, 1958. They lived together on Andress Road, Berlin Heights where they raised their eight children.

Henry worked at an early age for Union Chain Sandusky and from there he worked at Sandusky Metal, Ag Way- Huron, Mead Truck line- Norwalk, Ford- Lorain, and Grower Chemical- Milan. Henry and his youngest son started their own construction company called Ostheimer Construction Company. All of the while Henry worked he helped his dad farm where he had a few dairy cattle and farmed over 100 acres at Berlin Heights.

Henry is preceded in death by his son Keith R. Ostheimer, parents Henry and Marguerite (Kromer) Ostheimer and Brothers Joseph, John, and Edward Ostheimer. Henry is survived by his son Kenneth (Rhonda) Ostheimer of Milan, Daughter-in-Law Ellen Ostheimer of Milan, son Kevin (Celine) Ostheimer of Georgia, son Kurt (Elena) of Berlin Heights, son Klark Ostheimer (Charla Faulkner) of Berlin Heights, Daughter Krista (Christopher) Scheufler of Vickery, and Twin daughters Kandy Smillie of Perrysburg and Karen Ostheimer of Norwalk. He has 16 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. In addition Henry is survived by his siblings Sister Mary Barbra Ostheimer, Sister Mary Kenneth Ostheimer, Teresa Knauer, Mary Kucha, Sarajane Porter, Rosemarie Capucini, Ann Ostheimer, Stephen Ostheimer and Peter Ostheimer. Henry also had numerous nieces and nephews.

Henry was a 60-year grange member and a very faithful member of St. Mary’s Church in Wakeman. He also traveled to Belize to re-build the schools and help the children have a much better life for 10 years of his life. His son Kevin and Grandson Michael have joined him in Belize. They attend for two or more weeks every January. Henry also helped out many family members, friends, and neighbors throughout his life in anyway possible. One of Henry’s greatest achievements was remodeling his church.

Henry was a man of few words, but loved to joke around with everyone. He loved all kinds of candy and anything western. Henry was a true cowboy at heart till the day he died. Henry will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Friends may call on Tuesday from 3-7 at the St Mary’s Church Social Hall. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Wednesday at 10:30 at the church. Burial will follow at Cable Road Cemetery.

Morman Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be left at mormanfuneralhome.com

Memorial contributions can be made to St. Mary’s Church 46 E. Main Street Wakeman, Ohio or to Stein Hospice 1200 Sycamore Line Sandusky, Ohio.

NR12182017

NORWALK — Margaret M. Schriner, 89, of Norwalk, died peacefully Saturday afternoon at Norwalk Memorial Home.

Groff Funeral Homes & Crematory is assisting family with arrangements.

NR12182017

NORWALK — Todathon E. Wagner, age 69, of Norwalk, passed away Friday morning, December 15, 2017 due to injuries sustained in an auto accident.

He was born August 18, 1948 in Norwalk and was a 1966 graduate of St. Paul High School. He served in the US Navy during Vietnam and returned to serve as a police officer with the Norwalk Police Department until 1986. He then taught at the Police Academy at Owens Technical College. He then worked at Carl Kenny Chevrolet and Monroeville Marine and began working seven years ago as Lead Station Agent assigned to operations at American Airlines “Envoy” at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. He was an avid pilot, hunter, fisherman, boater and enjoyed outdoor sports, especially riding his Harley Davidson Motorcycle.

He is survived by his wife, Deborah Lake-Wagner of Norwalk, to whom he married in 2004; children, Tod Wagner of Norwalk, Gwendolyn Taylor of Colorado, Kelly (Kam) Kuhl of Milan and Ryan (Lyssa) Ward of Eugene, Oregon; grandchildren, Lincoln and Ingrid Taylor and Madison, Jake, Ward and Collum Kuhl. He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Wagner.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Thursday, December 21, 2017 at 4:30 P.M. at the Norwalk Baptist Church, 3319 Halfway Road, Norwalk, where military and police honors will be conducted and Pastor Rich Forman will officiate. A reception will follow until 8:00 P.M. in the church fellowship hall.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Norwalk Baptist Church c/o Food Pantry, 2084 US Route 20 W, Norwalk, OH 44857. Arrangements entrusted to the Evans Funeral Home, 314 E. Main Street, Norwalk.

NR12182017

By JOE CENTERS

(UPDATE 6:19 p.m. Sunday)

The Norwalk Police Department has released these surveillance videos showing the armed robbery that took place Saturday night at the CVS in Norwalk.

* * *

(UPDATE 8:20 a.m. Sunday)

An undisclosed amount of money was taken Saturday night from the Norwalk CVS/pharmacy in an armed robbery.

Norwalk Police Sgt. Jim Montana said a black man with a handgun robbed the store late Saturday night.

He said the case still is under investigation.

Anybody with any information should call the Norwalk Police Department.

* * *

Original story:

Norwalk police are investigating an armed robbery Saturday night at the CVS/pharmacy at 106 Milan Ave. in Norwalk.

Police had tracking dogs around the area but there was little information. Officers at the scene could not give out any details and the sergeant in charge, Jim Montana, still was on the scene and unavailable for comment.

A spokesman at the police station said he was unable to release any information.

ELYRIA — A teenager suffered serious injuries in a one-vehicle accident that happened Sunday afternoon in Lorain County’s Columbia Township.

A 2005 Chevrolet Colorado driven by Tanner Hendrix, 19, of Elyria, was eastbound on Osborne Road at 12:44 p.m. Sunday when the vehicle went of the right side of the road, hit a driveway embankment and became partially airborne, said troopers with the state Highway Patrol’s Elyria post. The pickup truck continued through several yards and then struck a tree.

Tanner was not wearing a seatbelt, and the impact caused him to strike the windshield with his head, resulting in a serious injury, troopers said. He was transported from the scene by Columbia Station Fire/EMS to Southwest General Hospital in Middleburg Heights.

At this time it is unknown as to why Hendrix drove off the road, troopers said. He was the only occupant and there were no other vehicles involved.

No charges have been filed, troopers said, and the crash remains under investigation.

Mary Kay Cabot

CLEVELAND — It hurt Hue Jackson to the core that the Browns went 0-8 at home this season following Sunday's 27-10 loss to the Ravens. It's only the second time in club history that's happened, including the expansion season of 1999.

"I apologize to our fans that we were not able to do that - to get them a victory in our stadium,'' said Jackson. "I said that to our players. Hopefully, this is the end of all that. I'm not going to make any guarantees that it is because you never know — you never know what happens year to year - but at the same time, it can't get much worse than this, true? It can't.

"Let's just be honest. We have to find a way to get on the other side, get on the other side and keep working."

By the same token, he assured fans that things won't be this bad next year, especially with new GM John Dorsey coming in to run the personnel side.

"There's no way,'' said Jackson. "It can't. There's not a bone in my body that thinks this will ever be like this again. I know I said it a year ago that I didn't think it would be this way heading into next season - it is. I was wrong. I'll be the first to tell you that and I'll stand on that, but there's no way that this organization, this football team, this city, Dee (Haslam), Jimmy (Haslam), the rest of the people in this organization can stomach this again.

"There are too many competitive people in that organization and in that building that know what we need to do moving forward to do it right to get this organization back to where it needs to be."

DeShone Kizer also regretted not rewarding Browns fans with at least one home win this season.

"Pretty disappointing,'' he said. "This is my first time ever doing so. Those fans are begging for a win. We hear it. We see it. When we are out there and are putting our bodies on the line for them and we come up short, they let us know. It's on us to make sure that we are giving those fans things to cheer about."

Despite dropping to 1-29 for the worst start for a coach in NFL history, Jackson deflected speculation that he's still a possibility to replace Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, promising that "I'm not going to run from this.''

The records for futility are staggering, and fans are staying away in droves. The announced crowd was 56,434, but most were gone by the time the Ravens produced the final margin with four seconds left in the third quarter.

It marked the first time in NFL history a team has gone 0-14 in back-to-back seasons, and it was the Browns' 16th straight loss in the division.

"I'm not coping with this very well,'' said Jackson. "I haven't for two years. It's not something that I think is fair to anybody, not just myself but the coaching staff, the players, our fans, everybody. We have to fix this. That is what we are committed to doing.

"We're going to turn a corner here, we're going to turn the page on this and we're going to get back to doing this the way we think this needs to be done. I would never be able to do this for a third year.''

He acknowledged that his young players haven't learned the culture of winning.

"I don't like this because it teaches something that you don't want taught,'' he said. "You start learning that this is OK. This is not OK. This is not what any of us want to be a part of. We will fix it. I guarantee you that."

———

©2017 Advance Ohio Media, Cleveland

Visit Advance Ohio Media, Cleveland at www.cleveland.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Dec. 18, 1913

The top stories in the Norwalk Reflector-Herald on this date in 1913:

Saloon license wins over prohibition by a majority of more than 1,200

Norwalk and Huron County aligned themselves in the wet column yesterday, for a second time in a county local option election, rolling up a majority of over 1,200, a great surprise in the size of the vote to both the “wet” and “dry” factions. The “wets” claim the election by 1,274, while the “drys” concede their defeat by 1,257.

Many elements entered into the election, which caused the big “wet” majority, chief of which, many believe, was the desire of the voters to give a trial to the new license law. This was thought  by many to be the fair thing to do. Some attribute the question of taxes as a cause for the largely increased vote.

The “wets” say the people of the county, by their vote, yesterday, have overwhelmingly expressed their preference of the regulated saloon to the “blind tiger,” “speak easy” and “bootlegger.”

Was pioneer of Huron County

Robert Willoughby, whose illness with paralysis was mentioned in the Reflector-Herald last week, died Saturday at his home in Richmond township. He was nearly 97 years of age and had been a resident of Richmond township for the past 68 years.

At the age of 24 he married Miss Drusilla Ringle and of seven children born to the couple, six are now living, three of whom reside in Huron County. The wife died a few years ago.

The funeral of Mr. Willoughby was held Tuesday, the services being conducted by Rev. W.O. Montague of the Attica, U.B. Church. Burial in the Attica cemetery.

Charged with killing a sheep

Alton Denslow of Greewich was arrested this morning on an information by Prosecuting Attorney Irving Carprenter at the request of W.H. Baker, of the same place, charging him with killing sheep belonging to Baker by “kicking, stomping and beating.”

Denslow pleaded not guilty to the allegations contained in the information and was admitted to bail in the sum of $100. The matter will be heard some time in January.

It is claimed that the sheep butted one of Denslow’s children, and he became infuriated and killed the animal.

Still a Justice at ninety-one

Wednesday, at Columbus, Martin M. Hester, 91 years of age and a pioneer resident of Huron County, who resides with his son, Findlay Hester, on a farm in Bronson township, was granted a new commission as justice of the peace for four years by the secretary of the state.

Mr. Hester has already served as a justice of the peace for the past forty-one years, and was re-elected in November last.

Coming Tuesday — Dec. 19, 1913: Divorce in high society

— Compiled by Andy Prutsok

It appears this week will be warmer than last week.

In fact, the projected highs on Tuesday and Friday could reach 50 or greater.

Today, Thursday and Saturday will have highs in the 40s, while Wednesday’s high will be in the upper 30s.

For the most part, lows this week will be in the upper 20s to mid 30s.

Rain is predicted Friday and Saturday.

Today, the sun will rise at 7:51:33 a.m. and set at 5:03:40 p.m.

On Tuesday, the sun will rise at 7:52:06 a.m. and set at 5:04:06 p.m.

Forecast

Today - A slight chance of rain or drizzle between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Areas of fog before noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 42. Southwest wind 11 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Tonight - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind around 14 mph.

Tuesday - Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Southwest wind 14 to 16 mph.

Tuesday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind 9 to 11 mph.

Wednesday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.

Wednesday night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.

Thursday - Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Thursday night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Friday - Rain likely, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Friday night - Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Saturday - A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Saturday night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Sunday - Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35.

By Ellen Simmons

The Huron Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) named Gerald and Connie Oney and Jeff and Sonia Oney the 2017 Conservationist/Cooperators of the Year at the 72nd SWCD Meeting and Banquet, which took place Dec. 7 in the Expo Building in the Huron County Fairgrounds.

Partners in Milky Way Farms, the Oneys work 2,900 acres of corn, beans and wheat in Fitchville, Greenwich, New London and Ripley townships, as well as some land in Ashland County. They also raise 560 milk cows, 510 replacement heifers and 350 males.

Others honored at the banquet included the Monroeville FFA Rural Soils Judging team members, Garrison Hohler, Mason Kluding, Amelia Opper and Amelia Ruggles, who placed first in their competition. Members of the South Central FFA, Tyler Beverage, Ally Burton, Kaycee Burton, Desiree Chill, Brooke Gahring, Mason Kiesel, Phillip Madison, Ivy Ott and Maddie Vogel came in first in the Urban Soils Judging contest.

Six county FFA’s participated in the FFA Conservation Booth contest at the fair, and Monroeville place first with a booth called Wildlife Conservation and Animal Management.

In the 2nd Grade Arbor Day Program and Poster Contest, Madison Hessemer, a Pleasant Elementary student, won for a poster themed “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life.” Her poster then took second place in her category in state competition. In her honor, SWCD and Walmart presented and planted a red sunset maple on her school’s lawn.

This year 13 schools and 862 students participated in the Arbor Day Program, and each student received a blue spruce seedling, thanks to a $1,000 Walmart Community Grant.

Marilyn Seasly, a member of Huron County Master Gardeners, received the 2017 Friend of Conservation award for coordinating and scheduling the help to distribute the seedlings.

The winner in the 4th to 6th grade Science Fair was Annabelle Ortner, a sixth grader at Main Street School in Norwalk last year. She was invited to present her science project on grass and soil at three conferences

Mike Gastier, who is with the OSU Extension Service, spoke about nutrient management and soil and water conservation. He said, “More is expected from producers all the time,” and invited everyone to a brainstorming session at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 20 at SWCD headquarters in Norwalk at 8 Fair Rd.

Don Sweeting, a member of the SWCD Board of Supervisors, served as the master of ceremonies for the evening. Other board members are John Ganz, Dan Stevens and Brad Harris and Gerald Martin, both who were re-elected to the board.

HWCD District Manager Chad Stang presented the awards, as well as a PowerPoint presentation describing the various HWCD departments, their functions, and outreach programs for the past year. Goals for 2018 include a $221,000 remodeling of the building, keeping an eye on state funding, searching for grants to help Huron County producers and working with schools.

By Steve Linder

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a prepared statement that Steve Linder, a member of the Norwalk school board, read during the most recent board meeting. It is printed in its entirety. There was no discussion afterward:

Thank you to those of you who elected me to the Norwalk board of education. I have always believed in honesty, integrity and open communication. Transparency is vital. I recently spoke at the December board of education meeting and said:

I would like to comment on the non-renewal of our football coach Chris MacFarland. What was printed in the Norwalk Reflector on Nov. 30 was not what the board was told last month as the reason for his non-renewal.

I did my research on the allegations given to the board and found they were not true. I was going to share my findings with the board at the December meeting.

I then get phone calls on my way home from work with questions about why are we firing our football coach? When I read the Norwalk Reflector, I find we are non-renewing/firing our football coach due to a stagnant program over the last three (3) years.

So, what is it?

I see this as a political game and not what coach MacFarland has done with our program. He is the winningest coach at NHS in the last 37 years. He worked very hard to help make the Reagan All-Sports Complex a reality. With my research, I have found him to have the respect of previous players, parents, coaches and members of the community.

The board received a letter in the mail from coach MacFarland defending the allegations toward him. With my research, his letter was spot on.

I feel a successful program starts at the top, so tell me where we are failing?

I see two problems with looking for a new coach.

1. Who in their right mind would want to come to a program that just let a winning coach go? To me, that shows no support from the top.

2. If we are thinking of hiring a coach already on staff in our program, that would be a big mistake. They would already be part of a so-called stagnant program.

Stagnant. Obviously we do not treat all coaches the same. Our boys' basketball program has a record of 30-43 over the last three years. Why is this program not considered stagnant?

Stagnant. We have been stagnant with our academics and state grade card for the past few years. Isn't education our primary concern? I remember when we were rated “excellent with distinction.” What should be done here?

I suggest coach MacFarland be renewed for his position as head varsity football coach for the 2018 season. Then, we follow proper protocol that has been set in place for a reason.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Steve Linder is a member of the Norwalk City Schools board of education.

Zoe Greszler

MILAN — Dispatcher Heidi J. Maloy has been selected for the 2017 Ohio State Highway Patrol Telecommunications Award at the Sandusky Dispatch Center along with the Bucyrus District award.

The selection of Heidi Maloy, 43, is in recognition of outstanding service during 2017 at Sandusky Dispatch Center as a dispatcher. Post management, troopers and dispatchers/​communications technicians chose her based on technical job knowledge and ability, enthusiastic work attitude, teamwork, and prompt and courteous response to the public’s requests for information and assistance.

Maloy joined the patrol in 1993 and has served at the Sandusky Dispatch Center. She has been selected as the Sandusky Post Dispatcher of the Year in 1996 through 2001, 2005 through 2007, 2010 through 2012, and 2014 to present. She was the Bucyrus District award winner in 2001, 2011, 2012 and 2017 as well as the statewide award winner in 2001. She also has been recipient of the Gold Star Award 2002 and 2016, as well as the Outstanding Caring Award in 1998.

Originally from New London, she is a graduate of New London High School. Maloy and husband Robert, live in Port Clinton with their children: Gavin, 12, and Katelyn, 11.

Also, Joshua P. Smith has been selected 2017 Trooper of the Year at the Milan post.

Fellow officers stationed at the Milan post chose Smith based on leadership abilities, professional ethics, courteous treatment of others, enthusiastic work attitude and cooperation with supervisors, peers, and the public.

Smith, 29, is now in contention for the district and state Trooper of the Year Award to be announced at a later date.

Smith joined the Highway Patrol in 2012 and has served at the Milan Post since being commissioned. Originally from Tiffin, he graduated from Tiffin Columbian High School and The Ohio State University.

Smith and his wife Devon live in Vermilion with their daughter, Adrienne.

Kroger offers mobile pay

The Dayton Daily News reported Kroger is launching a new mobile payment option for customers who want an easier way to pay.

The Cincinnati-headquartered grocery chain is teaming up with Chase Pay — the digital engagement wallet from JPMorgan Chase & Co.— to offer mobile payments starting with select retail markets and e-commerce programs in 2018, according to the newspaper. 

“Technology is transforming our customers’ experiences and greatly influencing how we are reimagining the store of the future,” Chris Hjelm, Kroger’s chief information officer, told Dayton Daily. “Mobile wallets enable a more seamless shopping experience for our customers and at the same time, can help us drive cost out of our business.”

Through the partnership, Chase’s 65 million customers will have an opportunity to use Chase Pay at Kroger for online and in-store purchases, the newspaper reported. 

New ferry for Put-in-Bay 

PUT-IN- BAY — Miller Boat Line of Put-in- Bay, Ohio has awarded Elliott Bay Design Group, of Seattle, with a design contract for a new passenger/vehicle ferry to supplement their current operation servicing the Lake Erie Islands. The ferry will be roughly 140' in length with a carrying capacity of 26 standard vehicles and up to 600 passengers. The vessel will be ADA accessible and will feature Tier 3 propulsion technology.

Special attention was given to design a vessel that enhances onboard passenger comfort and improve the loading and discharge times of both vehicles and passengers. The new vessel will be more maneuverable than Miller’s current vessels, and better suited to handle large loads in inclement weather.

"We are thrilled to partner with Miller Boat Line as they invest in the future of their operation and ridership,” said Brian King, principal in charge and chief engineer for Elliott Bay Design Group. “Our team of skilled marine engineers and naval architects are dedicated to delivering a vessel that meets the requirements of Miller Boat Line.”

Jacob Market, vice president of resources for Miller Boat line comments, "EBDG offered a thorough, well thought-out approach to our operational needs, addressing every aspect of our desired vessel outcome. The initial design offered by Elliott Bay Design Group was very much in line with our goals and we look forward to working with their team.”

The ferry line has experienced consistent traffic growth since its last vessel, the “PUT-IN- BAY”, was built in 1997 and lengthened to 136 feet in 2010. Bill Market, co-owner of Miller Boat Line said, “Demand has increased steadily over the past few decades, and it is time for us to add another boat to our fleet instead of lengthening another vessel.”

Rush Repairs & Recovery adds U-Haul affiliation

CLYDE — U-Haul Company of Massachusetts and Ohio, Inc. is pleased to announce that Rush Repairs & Recovery has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Clyde community.

Rush Repairs & Recovery at 1137 E. McPherson Highway will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, moving supplies and in-store pick-up for boxes.

Normal business hours are 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to noon Saturday; and on-call Sunday. After-hours drop-off is available for customer convenience. Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling 567-855-4419.

In other health business...

Firelands named top 10% in the nation’ patient safety

SANDUSKY — Firelands Regional Medical Center announced today that it is a recipient of the Healthgrades 2017 Patient Safety Excellence Award, a designation that recognizes superior performance in hospitals that have prevented the occurrence of serious, potentially avoidable complications for patients during hospital stays. The distinction places Firelands among the top 10 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data for its excellent performance as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

During the 2013 to 2015 study period, Healthgrades found that patients treated in hospitals receiving the Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average:

· 40 percent less likely to experience an accidental puncture or laceration during a procedure, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

· 44.6 percent less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

· 54.4 percent less likely to experience catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired at the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

· 50.2 percent less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

“Patient safety is the cornerstone of high-quality healthcare and a top priority when choosing a medical facility,” said Martin Tursky, president and CEO of Firelands Regional Medical Center.

“As a hospital in the top 10 percent in the nation for patient safety, we strive to instill a sense of confidence in our patients that their well-being is of the utmost importance here. Year after year, we’ll continue to put our time, talents and resources toward improving patient safety.”

On average, 134,568 patient safety events could have been avoided if all hospitals, as a group from 2013 to 2015, performed similarly to hospitals performing better than expected on each of 13 patient safety indicators evaluated by Healthgrades.

Firelands named among America’s best for orthopedic, spine surgery

SANDSUKY — To practice clinical excellence means to perform at a level well above satisfactory, and that’s what patients can expect from Firelands Regional Medical Center’s spine and orthopedic services. Healthgrades recognized Firelands as one of America’s 100 best hospitals for clinical excellence in spine and orthopedic care for 2018.

Among the distinctions received are America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery and America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery. Firelands is one of only two hospitals in Ohio to receive both distinctions in 2018. Additionally, Firelands is the only hospital in our four-county service area to achieve both the America’s 100 Best for Orthopedic Surgery and Spine Surgery in 2018.

The achievement is part of findings released today in the Healthgrades 2018 Report to the Nation. The new report demonstrates how clinical performance continues to differ dramatically between hospitals nationally, regionally and at the local level, and the impact that this variation may have on health outcomes.

Specifically, Firelands achieved the following Healthgrades accolades:

Spine:

· One of Healthgrades America's 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery for six years in a row (2013-2018)

· Recipient of the Healthgrades Spine Surgery Excellence Award for six years in a row (2013-2018)

· Named Among the Top 5 percent in the Nation for Spine Surgery for six years in a row (2013-2018)

· Five-Star Recipient for Spinal Fusion Surgery for 13 years in a row (2006-2018)

Orthopedic:

· One of Healthgrades America's 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery for two years in a row (2017-2018)

· Recipient of the Healthgrades Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award for three years in a row (2016-2018)

· Named Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Orthopedic Services for three years in a row (2016-2018)

· Five-Star recipient for total knee replacement in 2018

· Five-Star recipient for back surgery for two years in a row (2017-2018)

· Five-Star recipient for hip fracture treatment for nine years in a row (2010-2018)

Patient Safety:

· Recipient of the Healthgrades 2017 Patient Safety Excellence Award

· Named among the top 10 percent in the nation for patient safety in 2017

“Many consumers believe that hospital quality is standardized, though the reality is that clinical quality and outcomes at hospitals vary widely across the country,” said Dr. Brad Bowman, Healthgrades’ chief medical officer. “The hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for orthopedic surgery and spine surgery distinctions have demonstrated a commitment to exceptional quality of care and can distinguish themselves to consumers seeking care at high-quality facilities.”

If you have an item for the business roundup column, send the information to the Norwalk Reflector in care of Zoe Greszler, 61 E. Monroe St., Norwalk, Ohio 44857, or send an email to zoegreszler@norwalkreflector.com.