Amherst News-Times, 1998-05-13

              Where are the actors now? — Page 2   Don't forget Pride Day project — Page 6
Vmherst News-Times
iy, May 13,  1998
Amherst, Ohio
dents
on
nst
itmuning
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
The plans of eight Leavitt Road
property owners to rezone their land
from residential to commercial use
are drawing stiff opposition from
homeowners living in the adjacent
Rock Creek Run subdivision.
City council members were presented with a petition during their
May 4 committee meeting signed by
123 homeowners in the area opposing the rezoning.
George Schuman, of 483 Rock
Creek Run, presented buildings and
lands committee chairman John
Dietrich with the petition even
though a public hearing has not
been held on the rezoning.
"I just want to protect the people
of Rock Creek Run," Schuman said.
The signatures were gathered in
late April and early May by Schuman and Rock Creek Run residents
Basil O'Moore and Charles D. Be-
van. It was drafted by former police
chief Arthur Koppenhafer, one of
the signers.
A public hearing on the rezoning
is expected to be held prior to a city
council meeting sometime in June.
Schuman said he was unaware a
hearing will be held, but will attend
along with other neighborhood
residents.
Elyria attorney James Blaszak,
who represents the Leavitt Road
homeowners, told council members
April 20 that some of the homeowners in the subdivision had been
notified about the proposed
rezoning.
But Schuman said he and others
were not among those contacted.
They were unaware of it until they
read news reports.   ,
Committee members said people
living contiguous to the property
will be notified. They include residents living on High Meadow Road.
One of them, James Jesko, of
High Meadow Road, told committee
members he was particularly disturbed by the proposed rezoning.
"This is driving me nuts," he said.
"I have such as beautiful home on
High Meadow and to think I'm going to be looking at the back end of
stores and mercury vapor lights —
no way."
Jesko said he could not understand why city officials would want
to increase traffic on Leavitt Road
by creating another commercial
area.
The land to be rezoned is 290 feet
deep, about a 1,000 feet long and
includes IS pieces of property.
Jesko said he has lost sleep over
the proposed rezoning and took off
work to voice his objections before
council.
The residents' comments came
after Lynn Rhoades, an elder with
the Westminister Presbyterian
Church, 515 Leavitt Rd., asked the
committee to also rezone church
property for commercial use.
The church is near the residential
property considered for rezoning.
Although il has no immediate
plans to sell the property and move
the church, Rhoades said it could
decide to do so in the future, she
added.
Rhoades came to the building and
lands committee because the planning commission declined to approve rezoning.
Mayor John Higgins explained
the commission felt commercial development would have a negative
impact on the neighboihood, especially homes along adjacent Spruce
Tree Lane.
The state will not allow commercial access on to Leavitt Road at that
location because of the presence of
the Rt 2.entrance ramp about 500
feet to the north.
Committee members also declined because there is no access on
to Spruce Tree Lane or Chapel
Court. To emkyw one for commercial
purposes weald prove disruptive to
ihe neighboihood, they said.
Soldiers set ott explosives during a mock Civil War reenactment at the high school.
MLS teachers face firing squad
Union soldiers Roy Bunevich and David Zvara got cheers and
jeers from Msirion L. Steele High Students who watched them
meet their demise at the hands of a trigger-happy firing squad last
week.
They were spies caught and executed by members of Company
B of the 11th Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, a Confederate Civil
War reenactment group lhat took part in the high school's first
History Day May 6.
Dressed in Union unifoiiii5,'"BilrtWich and Zvara, health and
physical education teachers, were recruited to play the spies by
History's
better
without
the books
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
Students at Marion L.
Steele High created their living history bock of sorts last
week by making dozens of
projects and displays that
helped bring the past to the
present.
May 6 was the high
school's first History Day, an
event that started in Cleveland
several years ago and has
grown into a competitive
academic event among high
schools.
The special day was the
idea by social studies teacher
Bill Walker, who said it gives
students a more active role in
learning about American and
world history.
Started in 1974 by a Case
Western Reserve University
professor, the event has
spread throughout the country.
Each high school develops
history projects based on a
theme.
Nationally, History Day
normally is held the last
week of April. Last week's
MLS event only was a "trial
run" to determine interest and
prepare students for possible
national competition nexl year,
Walker said.
"We wanted to iron out all
the kinks first before we start
competing," he explained.
"Based on whal we've seen, I
think we've taken a big step
toward it."
With the help of fellow
teachers Erich Frombach, Rich
Frimel, Dan Parent and Ron
Hause, the projects were
created by nearly 100 stu-
Adam Baker, Adam Wohlever and Peter Sanchez, MLS students
who are members of the Rebel infantry.
Formed three years ago by Lorain resident Greg Sanders, a colonel, most of the group is from Amherst. Baker, a junior, is the
first sergeant, Wohlever, also a junior, is a corporal and Sanchez, a
sophomore, is a private.
All three members of the firing squad had smirks on their faces
as they pulled the_ truLgers on their muskets.
Despite ^SflEflg^jfccts ^ S'SSks, die teacliers took their ex-
CONTINUED on pa{te 3
A soldier proudly displays his flag during the encampment
dents, some working as two-
or three-person teams.
There were 32 history projects ranging from the history
of women in the military to
racism. Using conflict as their
theme, students had to develop projects dealing with history, government or
psychology.    .
One student built a scale
model of an air-to-air aircraft
missile and another designed
one to carry biological weapons to a target. Another
built a model of die area in
downtown Dallas, Texas,
where president John F. Kennedy was assassinated in
1963.
One created an Internet
WEB site dealing with the
Vietnam War.
All of the projects were
created in about a month or
less, although Walker said he
spent six to eight weeks planning the day.
He and the other teachers
were surprised by the results.
.Some students spent as much
as 150 hours in preparation,
CONTINUED on page 3
r)()   (.Ollt'
50 years
on stage
Thespians keep
troupe together
for five decades
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
For 50 years a group of amateur
thespians has been putting on makeup and stepping into the lights after being bitten by a stage bug.
Everyone of them acts because
they like it, not for the money.
There is no financial reward other
than the satisfaction they receive
when they hear an audience applaud, gasp, laugh or cry when they
perform as members of the Workshop Players.
Started by Amherst native Valerie
Gerstenberger, the group has
reached a milestone few community
theater organizations like it obtain.
It's 50 years old this year and busier
than ever.
Until four years ago, the Workshop Players staged four performances a year — the majority on
weekends. Then it increased to five
and this year to six, partly in celebration of its golden anniversary and
partly because its 73 members just
wanted to perform more, according
to board of trustees member Caron
Kelley.
"Once you get started in theater
it's hard to stop. It's lots of work,
but fun and a feeling of accomplishment," she explained.
Kelley, a director and actor, was
first bitten by the thespian bug while
watching the group perform while |
she was a teenager in high school.
That was nearly 20 years ago. Since
then, she has left the Workshop
Players but returned to it several
years ago.
Every member chooses whether
they want to act, direct or work behind the scenes, making sure the
lighting is just right or helping sew
costumes together. They often
switch roles from play to play. An
actor in one play may work off stage *
or direct in another, Kelley said.
Members are from throughout
Lorain County. Eighteen are from
Amherst, including Gerstenberger.
She founded the group in 1948
while she was a teacher at Clear-
view High School. Students who
had performed in school plays directed by Gerstenberger wanted to
know where they could continue;,
acting in a community setting. Soon >
others joined and membership ex- "
panded into the community.
Thus the County Workshop Players was formed, although county
was dropped several years later because the name was too cumbersome, Gerstenberger said.
The first play was performed in
summer, 1947, at Clearview. In February, 1948, they moved to die
Grange Hall. The 50th anniversary
is marked by seasons.
In 1951, the Amherst school district stopped using the old school
house at 44820 Middle Ridge Road.
A year later it became the group's
home.
At first glance, most people think
it's an old church because the
Middle Ridge Road Cemetery is adjacent to it, Kelley said.
It's far from being modern with
lots of room. It only seats about 100
at capacity and is theater in the
round. Occasionally, performers
have to exit or enter from outside
doors even in rainy, cold or snowy
weather.
There is little room to store props.
Everything is hauled into the building and assembled on the small
stage. Downstairs in a small basement is the makeup room and a storage area for costumes. From it, actors can climb up to the sage
through a trap door, creating the effect of a stairway entrance.
"But it works for us," Kelley said.
"It has its pluses and minuses," Kelley said.
The audience's closeness to the
stage — about five to 10 feet, allows it to vividly see the expressions on actor's faces, something
CONTINUED on page 2
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