Rumble from the Rails

Students are the real work of art

I was fortunate enough to attend the Fostoria Fine Arts Festival at the high school while the students were setting up Thursday.

Many times, when it comes to teenagers, the only news is bad news, but I hope tomorrow between 2 and 5 p.m. finds many Fostoria citizens in the high school gymnasium to see what is usually missed when it comes to the local teens.

These students are talented and should be recognized.

Sculptures such as "Beauty" appeared alive and "The Tree" made me think and try to figure out what the artist was trying to say. For art to inspire any sort of deep thought for me, it has to be good.

One anonymous student found out I was a reporter and asked me if I had seen the artist's work who affected him/her more than anything else there. The artist was Aaron Clark, a junior. This young teenager had created something so thoughtful that a complete stranger was a loyal fan.

Stephanie Coleman, also a junior, had some wonderful artwork, but it wasn't the art that surprised me about her. It was her determination. I remember when the artists when I went to high school wore black and sat alone in the cafeteria drawing pictures that nobody else could see.

Coleman showed me that art has evolved. She wasn't a depressed teen who brooded over paper and paint, but a vibrant person who is looking forward to college and pursuing a career in animation.

Fostoria High School is full of students who have talents that can carry them to amazing heights. I encourage everyone to get to the high school Sunday and see for yourself what wonders Fostoria has to offer within its youth.

~Chandra

Businesses were honored for their contributions to the community Thursday at the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce 2008 Fostoria Business Awards.

ACI Construction Co., Inc. sponsored the awards lunch at Fostoria Country Club. Sarah Stephens-Krupp, executive director of the Chamber, presented the awards, congratulating all of the businesses for their years of service to the community.

D's Phoenix Massage Therapy Center — formerly D's Body Shop — and Kaminsky & Son Jewelers both received the Commitment to Customer Service Award.

Both businesses were lost in the downtown fire earlier this year and both worked to serve their customers after the tragedy.

The Small Business of the Year Award went to Steinacker & Sons Ace Hardware.

Stephens-Krupp noted Steinacker Hardware for its participation in numerous community projects since it opened in 1992. She commended Dan Steinacker for being instrumental in helping a local business find a new location after the downtown fire.

Whitta Construction received the Family Owned Business of the Year Award.

She noted Jim, Tom and Dave Whitta's activities in the Fostoria Economic Development Corporation, its executive board and Revolving Loan Fund committee, Rotary and St. Wendelin Catholic Church among numerous others.

Norton Manufacturing received the Large Business of the Year Award.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award went to Richard Norton.

Stephens-Krupp highlighted Norton's roots in the community — he graduated from Fostoria High School before going onto to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration at Ohio State — as well as his service activities.

Fostoria Community Hospital received the Outstanding Community Service Award.

Stephens-Krupp noted the hospital's 77 year history of commitment to the community through such programs as the Diabetic Education Initiative, Family Health Connection and the Fostoria Area Health Ministry.

~Original story by Stephany

EMS billing changes in Seneca County

Due to citizen complaints, Seneca County Emergency Medical Services updated its billing policy.

Under the new policy, any patient who calls for service and receives any treatment or assessment and is not transported will receive a $100 bill. Patients that receive treatment on scene and recover to the point of refusing further care or transport will also be billed $100 plus the cost of any medical supplies, Ken Majors, EMS director, said.

While such runs are costly to the department, it used to not bill for these instances. Often times insurance doesn't cover treatment that doesn't result in transport, so these bills will likely be direct costs to the patients, he said.

The updated policy also reduced instances of billing. Once such case is in fender-bender accidents when a squad is automatically sent to a scene and no treatment is required.

People will also not be charged for service calls that are deemed "good intention calls." This includes welfare checks, assistance moving in or out of the house to a car and pickup from floor to a chair with no injury. However, if a person utilizes this service more than once per month, a bill will be sent, Majors said.

The board passed a resolution accepting the policy and making it effective immediately.

~Original story by Sandra

The family that volunteers together...

 

Mikey Keiffer, a sixth grader at Arcadia Middle School, was one of eight recipients of the "Absolutely Incredible Kid" Awards at Tuesday's Camp Fire USA Northwest Ohio Council's awards luncheon at the Findlay Country Club.

He was honored for his work volunteering at the Sharing Kitchen in Fostoria, which Keiffer's grandmother, Phyllis Hulderman, runs. The 11-year-old Keiffer has volunteered there since he was four. At first, he did simple things like helping stock shelves and move the food and boxes. These days, he helps prepare and serve food, as well as cleaning up.

He has also raised funds for the charity, selling lemonade and creating a cookbook to sell.

Keiffer is also active in sports and music. He plays trumpet in the school band. He enjoys playing soccer, and hopes to also play football.

As far as long-term goals, Keiffer wants to go to college and pursue a degree in engineering so he can design and invent items — perhaps new toys, perhaps cars. He enjoys experimenting with broken toys at home.

Keiffer was honored in the advocacy category of the "Absolutely Incredible Kid" awards. Other honorees were: Lisa Chacon, sixth grader at Central Middle School, in the diversity category; Emily Wolfram, eighth grader at St. Michael Middle School, in the family development category; Taylor Fieger, eighth grader at Van Buren Middle School, in the leadership and community service category; Paige Sensel and Julia Zelinsky, seventh graders at Donnell Middle School, in the nature category; Mikayla Brown, eighth grader at Donnell Middle School, in the talent and skills category; and Brian Davidson, eighth grader at Van Buren Middle School, in the youth development category.

Keiffer's award was sponsored by the Camp Fire USA Executive Trustee Committee.

~Original story by Sara Arthurs

Sewer plans continue

The City of Fostoria Combined Sewer Overflow Long-Term Control Plan is a long name for the city's agreement to comply with federal Environmental Protection Agency mandates to eventually separate Fostoria's combined sewer system.

Since receiving a consent decree in August 2006 from the EPA, Fostoria has been in the planning phase, which could cost millions of dollars worth of construction once implemented.

The long-term control plan must be submitted by Dec. 31, and will serve as a binding agreement for the city to meet the EPA's standards.

The EPA is giving Fostoria 20 years to comply with the mandates.

A public meeting is set for 6 p.m. May 6 before the City Council meeting to discuss the long-term control plan process. 

Davoli said there is still no way to know how much this could cost the city, as no plans have been formulated yet.

But the EPA standards have already cost the city. In May 2007, the EPA handed Fostoria a $30,000 fine for non-compliance.

To help finance the construction phase of the project, the city implemented a clean water compliance fee in March, which requires single-family residences to pay about $80 per year.

City Council also approved a 3 percent increase in the city's sewer rate in February that would include 3-percent increases annually based on review.

In the short-term, the city will submit a monitoring and modeling report to the EPA in June before submitting the long-term control plan in December.

~Original story by Stephany

Risingsun cuts hours to help with budget

The rising cost of utilities means reduced services for Risingsun residents.

Faced with budget issues brought on by soaring utility costs, Risingsun Village Council cut hours in three departments Tuesday.

After an hour executive session regarding personnel, council unanimously agreed to cut hours in the police department, street department and of the village clerk.

Council also denied the department the $1 per hour pay raise Police Chief Mark Perkey requested at March's board meeting.

All hour reductions take effect June 1 and will be re-evaluated in September after the village has received its real estate taxes, Mayor Rick Whetsel said.

The reduction is not a result of overspending in the departments, but a rise in the village's utility bills. Only 16 percent of the total budget has been used to date. At the same time last year, 40 percent of the budget was used, according to Whetsel.

If the village had done nothing, by August it would be hurting financially, Whetsel said. He also stated that the council neede to organize a fundraiser to help the village.

Council member Richard Sprow and Whetsel already headed several Texas Hold 'Em tournaments. Only 15 people showed up for the last one, which broke even in terms of cost. However, another one is being planned.

The fire and police departments already have their own fundraisers, but the council planned event should be family oriented and involve all of council, he said.

~Original story by Sandra

Risingsun changes job descriptions

Several Risingsun departments saw minor changes to their jobs descriptions Tuesday.

Village council informed department heads the changes were small and came about due to a need to update descriptions.

For the police department, a detailed explanation of what officers are doing while on duty is now required. Also, full background checks and drug and physical tests are required before hiring, Mayor Rick Whetsel said.

The street department's description was also updated. It now states village equipment cannot be used for personal reasons. Also, the pay scale is to be determined by council.

The fire department and village clerk saw no changes to their descriptions.

~Original story by Sandra

Jordan Hoyer didn't really die in an accident Monday at St. Wendelin High School, but the impact on his fellow students was the same as if he had.

Kirsten Svela and Scott Neusch, both firefighters and paramedics from Florida, are part of the Stay Alive From Education program and are Street Smart presenters. They presented material on motor vehicle accidents including the types of injuries sustained in different crashes, pictures of corpses at the scene, autopsies and body parts.

The graphic nature of the presentation was forewarned, but Principal Angela Joseph said three students had to leave because they were unable to handle the content.

The presentation involved bringing Hoyer to the front of the assembly. A scenario was re-enacted in which Hoyer was at a party, made a poor decision and tried to drive home.

Neusch gave a description of the accident along with explaining the injuries that would happen to Hoyer's body if he was unrestrained. When the presenters re-enacted what it would be like for Hoyer's parents to receive the late-night knock on their door if he was in an accident where he failed to wear his seat belt, many of the students and Hoyer appeared emotionally affected by the moment.

Neusch and Sveya also went through the process of what would be done to Hoyer's body if he'd survived the crash.

The presentation concluded by reminding students that someone dies in a motor vehicle crash every 12 minutes in the United States, meaning five people had died while the students were in the assembly.

After the program, Hoyer and other students said they would always wear their seat belts now.

The presentation was funded by BEERCO, the local Anheuser-Busch distributor, as part of the campaign to prevent teen drinking, drunk driving, illegal drug use and lack of seat belt use.

~Chandra

Touring Fostoria Schools

Staff and board of education members toured Riley Elementary School Monday during the third stop on the board's tour of Fostoria school buildings.

Less than 10 people attended the tour, led by Rod Echelberry, director of operations for FCS.

Built in 1955, Riley is a two-story 40,407 square foot brick building that houses 358 preschool, fourth and fifth-grade students.

Built on a 4.4 acre site, Echelberry explained the school was landlocked which limited what could be done with the building in the future. School access and traffic issues due to the lack of bus loading zones were also a concern.

Echelberry, as well as Riley Principal Barbara Peterson, explained the classrooms are smaller than what they would be when they're renovated and that classrooms will need to be moved around due to the addition of fourth- and fifth-grade classes next year.

Superintendent Cynthia Lemmerman said this move will trigger others as well, such as the preschool class being moved to the Holmes building. That move will push other classes, GED and the ABLE program, out. Those classes would have to move to the high school.

Echelberry also pointed out systems problems in the school such as the pipes that lie just above the ceilings, the fire alarms and the lack of a sprinkler system. The school's doors also don't meet the fire code, according to Echelberry.

Peterson and Echelberry noted some upgrades to the school, such as the computer lab in addition to five computers in each classroom and roof, window and door replacements. They also praised the maintenance department for their work, but said the age of the building makes their job difficult.

The board of education's next stop is Fostoria Middle School at 5:30 p.m. May 19.

~Original story by Stephany

Earth Day every day

Organic foods don't just keep the body healthy, they help keep the Earth healthy, too.

For its fourth year, the Go Organic! for Earth Day campaign, which runs through August, is working to educate consumers in 3,500 grocery stores in 35 states about the benefits of organic food for their bodies and the earth.

The campaign is sponsored by MusicMatters, a marketing firm that uses entertainment-based initiatives, the Organic Trade Association and the Earth Day Network. It includes promotion of organic products, health and nutrition information, a coupon book worth $18 in organic food savings, and two contests to help get consumers excited to learn more about going organic.

Some stores are providing free samples of organic foods and demonstrations on how to prepare them.

In northwest Ohio, Kroger stores are participating in the campaign.

Sean Miller, director of education for the Earth Day Network, said the goal of the program is to raise awareness of organic products — which include not only food but organic supplements and personal care products — and to educate consumers on their benefits.

Organic products, for example, are normally processed without artificial ingredients or chemicals that may harm a person's body or the environment.

Miller said many consumers are apprehensive to try organic products because they are unfamiliar with them.

Another detractor is the price — some organic products cost more.

Miller said increased awareness and visibility of organic products should help bring the costs down.

~Original story by Stephany