Amherst News-Times, 2000-10-11

              -,   V   •
Choirs plan free concert for all — Page 2    Property taxes topic of meeting — Page 3
.•
Amherst News-Timer
Wednesday, October 11. 2000
Amherst.  Ohio
■
r-    _)    -
- S a
a
t? < r.
.-  - .-•
Church St. home is tree house for a da>
3>   O "K
35 •
3>   M *.
<   .-: ■«•.
rn a    .
Francis Husky woke early
last Wednesday morning to a
rather unusual alarm.
It was the sound of a giant
tree from his front yard
crashing through the window
of the guest bedroom in his
Church Street residence.
"I knew right away that it
was the tree," stated a surprisingly upbeat Huslcy, as he
viewed the damage. "I had
been meaning to take the tree
down but never got around to
it"
The tree was knocked
down by the strong winds associated with a string of severe thunderstorms the area
had been experiencing.
Husley, 84, is a former
chemistry teacher at Amherst
High School where he taught
the subject for 34 years.
Some of his former students
aided in the removal of the
tree.
;Greg Wensel is a former
student of mine," said Husley.
"He is the one working the
crane." Sherrill McLoda, who
is Husley's insurance agent
and the city's safety-service
director, is also a former
student.
Husley, who has lived in
the house for 20 years, said
that he was startled at first,
but once he knew it was the
tree he was calm.
"The tree came down at
3:30 (a.m.)," he stated casually. "I went downstairs and
sat in the living room and
had a cup of coffee and
some orange juice. Then, at
7:30. I called Sherrill and she
took care of everything else."
Husley commented that all
of his neighbors were concerned once they saw the tree
and came over to see if he
was injured.
"There is a group of about
20 people who live around
here who are old friends,"
said Husley. "You can always
depend on them to help you
ouL"
Edwards Tree Service arrived to remove the tree from
the damaged roof which, according to Husley, is only
one month old.
"I just paid to have that
roof put on a month ago,"
stated Husley. "I guess the
insurance agency gets to pay
for it this time."
When asked how he felt
now that everything was
under control Husley simply
said, "I'm glad I was in the
other room."
Francis Husley looks on as workers remove parts of a tree that
fell on his home. According to Husley, repairs will take several
months.
City will reimburse meter reader bit by dog
Who says that dogs only attack
mailmen? For that matter who says
that dogs only attack men?
That was not the case recendy
when a female meter reader employed by the city's utilities department was bitten on her backside by
an angry dog.
According to discussions that
look place during last week's council committee meetings, Jessie Ro-
tuno was making her rounds of Am
herst homea taking down meter
readings for the city, when she approached a home that had not had its
meter read in some time.
What Rotuno didn't know was
that the person living at the residence — a renter — phones in his
readings to the utility department
every month. However, his phone
ins are only recorded in the billing
log, not the read log.
Rotuno proceeded with
into the fenced-in yard. She was unaware that only a few feet from her
there was a dog asleep under a tree.
She completed her reading and proceeded to exit the yard. It was at that
time that the dog woke up and was
startled by Rotuno's presence.
The dog then ran up from behind
and took a bite out of Rotuno. She
quickly exiled the yard and reported
to the emergency room where she
was treated for the wounds.
Rotuno had hoped that the homeowner's insurance would cover the
cost of her medical attention, but because the person living in the house
is a renter, the insurance refused her
claim.
Rotuno then took her case to Amherst City Council, who proposed an
ordinance authorizing the city to pay
her $500 as partial reimbursement
for the medical bills and other expenses resulting from the dog bite.
This past Monday council decided to pass the ordinance onto the
second reading so as to give city law
director Ken Stumphauzer time to
investigate the legal ramifications of
the incident
Rotuno's case brought about a debate among council members on the
city's laws regarding vicious dogs.
According to city ordinances, a dog
is either vicious by breed (pit bull),
or if the dog has bitten someone already. No action has been taken
against the dog or its owner.
It was reported that the lady meter reader completed her rounds before reporting to the hospital
emergency room for stitches and
was on duty for work the next day.
'Maze of Gothic Horrors' is Workshop design
by JASON TOMASZEWSKI
News-Times reporter
Hayrides, pumpkin patches, and
apple cider. These are the dungs
that come to mind when you think
•bout October, and these are the
things that you will find at Penton's
Farm Market on North Ridge Road
in Amherst
: Every year the friendly people at
Penton's invite local grade schoolers to visit Penton's Pumpkin Patch.
This event helps children learn about various fall-inspired dungs like
cider making and how to make pea-
ant butter. The educational program
is led by Kirsten Hill, and encourages the children to participate by
Answering questions and tatting the
cider and peanut butter they just saw
being made.
When the indoor program is finished, the children are escorted outside where they take part in a cornstalk maze. The intricate maze is cut
out of the com field and ends in a
clearing where the children can pick
out their own pumpkin.
When all of the children have
selected a pumpkin they are all led
onto a giant tractor for a hayride.
The ride weaves its way around the
farmland before driving through the
com field and (hopping the children
off at the start of the maze.
This is where the children select
which of four activities they want to
participate in next They can choose
between the Midnight Maze, the
Play Patch, the Rhymin' Pines, or
the Cat-A-Pumpkin.
The Midnight Maze consists of
three trailers that have been attached
CONTINUED on page 3
Kkto Jump into the fray In March of the perfect pumpkin.
>