The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 1998-12-09

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December 9.   1998
Amhe-rst.  Ohio
a und
1 5 lefit
school art
programs
The fine arts in the Amherst
schools will be getting help in the
future from a new endowment fund.
Assistant superintendent Timothy
Logar said die Amherst Schools
Fine Arts Endowment Fund was established in response to a challenge
grant last fall from the Stocker
Foundation of Lorain to all Lorain
County school districts to establish
fine arts endowment funds. The
Stocker Foundation agreed to match
monies raised by the funds dollar
for dollar, up to $5,000 per year for
five years.
At the Nov. 23 school board
meeting, the board of education approved trustees and officers for the
fund. Those trustees will select four
students who will help in selecting
grant recipients, although the students will not be voting members.
Logar said the schools originally
wanted to put the money into its existing Amherst Schools Endowment
Fund, but the foundation said the
' money had to be a separate fine arts
fund.
The money will be used to enhance fine arts programs throughout
the school system, from kindergarten through high school. Logar
listed costumes for a drama production, instruments needed for music
groups, or special supplies needed
foil an art class, and others as examples of possible grant requests.
"Grant requests are only limited
by the imagination and creativity of
the teacher," Logar said. "It could
even be used by a regular classroom
teacher who wanted to do something
with music in her class. Anything
that is going to benefit students in
fine arts programs is eligible."
Logar said the fund currently has
about $11,000, including $5,000
raised this year for the matching
grant of $5,000, plus about $1,000
in appreciation of the assets over the
past year. But he said the board of
trustees will likely let that pot grow
for a while before doling out any
money.
"We're not anticipating the trustees will be accepting grant applications for the first two or three
years," Logar said. "They'll probably want to build up the principle a
little first."
Please,
Santa,
please!
Above, this Amherst
boy sprouts some
reindeer antlers in the
hope Santa will grant
him his Christmas wish.
He was one of an estimated 200 children who
showed up at the city's
Dec. 11 Christmas tree
lighting ceremonies. At
right, a young family
gets ready for the
festivities.
f>0 cents
Top cop's
leaving
job again
South Amherst village officials
will wait until January to seek a replacement for police chief David L.
Hicks, who resigned without warning Nov. 23 after serving less than
two yean.
The village council officially accepted Hicks's resignation at its
Dec. 7 meeting but is not expected
to initiate search efforts for a replacement until it returns from a holiday recess Jan. 11, according to
mayor Chester Arcaba.
Lieutenant Gene Ptacek, a four-
year veteran, will serve as acting
chief until Hicks's replacement is
named and begins work.
Hicks, 62, gave village officials
no indication he had been considering retiring from law enforcement
for several weeks. He joined the
small police force 19 months ago after retiring as a Cleveland homicide
detective.
"He really didn't give us much
warning about what was on his
mind, so this was a surprise given
the short time he's been with us,"
Arcaba said. "He indicated that at
this point in his life he didn't wish
to continue in law enforcement"
Hicks verbally announced his resignation during a Nov. 23 private
meeting with Aracba, but was asked
by the mayor to "think it over" for a
few days. Two days later, the mayor
said Hicks reconfirmed his decision
during a lengthy phone conversation
with him.
Arcaba said he and council
thought Hicks was doing a good job
and wanted to try to work things
out.
"We told him he'd be missed and
asked him to reconsider, but he said
he'd been thinking about this for a
long time," Arcaba said. "So, that
was that There was little more anybody could say."
Ptacek was named acting chief
Thanksgiving morning.
During the holiday break, Arcaba
said members of the village safety
committee may "do some thinking"
about the steps council will take
once it reconvenes in January.
Hicks is the third police chief to
resign since the late Thomas J.
Snizek retired in 1993 after serving
the village 41 years.
Snizek died of cancer the same
year and was replaced by Roy Var-
ner, another former Cleveland policeman, who resigned after several
months. He was replaced by Norwalk police officer Dolores Conklin, ■
who quit in 19% and was replaced
by Hicks in April 1997.
Upcoming holiday
concerts feature
student perfomers
Students at Marion L. Steele High School will be the star performers in several upcoming holiday concerts.
The 1998 MLS Holiday Concert is scheduled for Tuesday,
Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Lorain Palace Civic Center.
Performing will be the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and
Wind Ensemble from the, high school, as well as the Amherst
Community Chorus. The chorus is under the direction of Steve
and Simone Gall and accompanied by Debbie LeSuer.
A variety of holiday selections will be presented to entertain
the entire family.
Tickets will be on sale at the door. They are $4for adults, $2
for students, and preschool children and senior citizens can enjoy
the concert free.
The Steele Choir Department will present the annual Holiday/
Alumni Concert on Sunday, Dec. 20 starting at 2:30 p.m. at the
Stocker Center on the campus of Lorain County Community
College.
Admission will be by donation.
The conceit will feature performances by the Steele Concert
Choir. A Cappelia Choir, Madrigal Singers, Varsity Quartet and
Senior Concert Choir Girls fin—Me.
The Concert Choir will perform itt traditional processional and
will welcome alumni members to perform the Steele alma mater
and "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." Music will be
provided.
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Lottery lady loves selling tickets
by QLEN MILLER
News-Times raporter
Betty Cianciola's picture
will be briefly flashed on
area TV screens Saturday.
She's not a fugitive but she
is the Ohio Lottery
Commission's Retailer-of-the-
Week, an honor regularly bestowed during broadcasts of
"Cash Explosion Double Play"
on WEWS-TV (channel 5).
Cianciola has received lots
of "thank yous," hugs and
tips since she started selling
instant winner tickets at her
small gift shop at Jamie's
Flea Market five yean ago.
She doesn't sell the muni
million dollar jackpot tickets.
The 78-ycar-oW woman
doesn't know how much money she's made for the stale,
but knows she's having Am
doing it
Cianciola. of Parma, and
her son, David Flschbach, of
Brunswick, an the co-ownen
of DAB Enterprises Variety
SHOPPftali
DAB stands for David and
Betty.
"We couldn't pat my
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