The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 2007-01-10

              - z h v n " -a 2 ,- of- will voters pass fire levy? page 3 developer may build rink pag aniherst news -time &y'c,,. -1 "j ' . i ro r. .1 r council backs rezoning, ecology starbuck praised for pledge to protect wetlands at future cooper foster retail park by jason hawk news-times reporter what's good the environment is amherst. that was message sent city monday night as a local developer's help neighbors safeguard near beaver creek lauded elected officials. dill starbuck, representing tjco inc., wants rczonc (he rcsidcntially-dcsignatcd fields directly east of premier toyota-scion on road make way c-2 commercial projects. property, formerly held holstcin fami ly, be home mix restaurants, retail, and specialty shops, told he hopes have deals with potential tenants solidified preliminary construction started this spring. "aggressively talking clients daily basis," said, declining disclose specific company names. passed zoning request second reading after pledged special arrangements shield an intermittent wetland tributary buffering property's far northeast comer. "this riparian area consists trees, grasses, naturally occurring debris whose purpose niter slow down velocity stonnwatcr runoff," said resident diane nahorn, who lives adjacent starbuck's land. in statement council, she her family has been working western reserve land conservancy place environmentally-protective casement property ensure it remain its natural stale. "if were developed, would no longer able perform job, lending more flooding, destruction wetland, added pollution creek," continued pago7 o-h-i-oi clerk ono several officials donning scarlott gray night's meeting. happy back class first grader zyanna lopez, 6, sets up own "teacher's desk" do some drawing during indoor recess powers elementary school. kids returned classes from their winter break jan. 4. sudden rain show er only thing keeping students indoors recess, teachers fully prepared take outside season's unusually warm temperatures. weather saves garage $39,000 consider gift card sorts. school municipal arc enjoying christmas present holiday season winds all thanks weather. high temperatures mean lower bills tor heating snow plowing, giving government budgets big break. last month's board meeting, treasurer shirley antcl reported streak through november december saving thousands dollars gas bills, because building furnaces aren't very hard keep up. "the two months, wc haven't hud pay consortium all, we're ahead payments there. hopefully, continue," said. amherst, savings roadway salting alone amounted than $39,000, according street department superintendent jeff barnes. amherst time," pointing out his crews used 300 tons salt streets date, compared 1,500 same date 2005. s3.82 per ton, means cushion balance book. "and it's not just salt. using much less fuel, doing truck maintenance, lot overtime," added. there also human factor: while always nice white christmas, year plow drivers find under tree. "i've worked 25 years," "it's first-ever can remember i've spent off spend time family. usually you're called or salt, so we've really it." significant snowfall e1me9 one man, preserving ourhometo editor's note; third article four-week series people work preserve amherst's heritage. where we come from7 chances are historian orville manes knows, decades carefully clipping, cataloging, cross-referencing clues trees. since 1984, jackson man chronicling history events politics businesses day, but behind them. "most my job taking that's already known putting together like puzzle," manes, 81 , week, gave guided tour books linking current residents ancestors. mistake. matter how plays down, undertaking gargantuan proportions. he's traced ordered many older most prominent families still members live town, such platos, wilhelms, wittes, powerses, menzes, finnegans, aschenbachs, bact7.cs, brecns, baumharts, hagemans, harrises, jennes, kolbcs, loewers. considerable befriending stories city's long-gone founders: jacob shupe, settler owner area's saw flour mills; josiah harris, former postmaster, judge, philanthropist donated hall; frederick onstine, built wood-frame house amherst; joseph quigley, small quarries area. "when looking back, single couple people, everyone related. you can't talk about quigleys without tozars," today, shelves volumes compiled lining walls historical society. each spends hours clipping obituaries fitting them into tangled web genealogical story. hasn't easy. finding verifying name requires digging records funeral homes orvlllo