Amherst News-Times, 2001-01-03

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Amherst News-Time
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Wednesday, January 3, 2001
Amherst, Ohio
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This year, former lieutenant Lonnie Dillon was sworn in as
chief Lonnie Dillon of the Amherst Police Department.
I
Driving into water seemed to be all the rage this year in Amherst. This pool was the first damaged when a woman drove her
car into it.
The election was big news in Amherst and throughout the
county, especially for Amherst resident Dave Moore who was
tunning for county commissioner. Governor Bob Taft visited Amherst and stumped for local candidates at Moore's invitation.
Our top stories of the year
It's the end of the year 2000, and
while some people are busy informing everybody that — contrary to
popular belief— this Jan. 1 will be
this start of the new millennium,
others are putting together their top
10 Lists. The top 10 athletes of the
year, the top 10 movies of the year,
everybody has a top 10 that they
bring out around this time every
year. We here at the News-Times
are no different Here, submitted for
your approval are the top 10 Amherst news stories for the year 2000.
#10: Perdval wins stale title
Zero: that is how many limes an
Amherst wrestler has won the state
title in the program's history. That
was before Jake Percival stepped
onto the mat. On Dec. 4, 2000 Percival stared across the mat at Value
City Arena on the Campus of The
Ohio State University and saw undefeated Cincinnati Moeller senior
Joe Zinkan staring back. Both grappler. came into the match with unblemished records, however, it was
Percival who would come out the
victor.
Three takedowns and an escape
led Percival to the 7-3 victory, but
according to Comet head coach Bill
Walker, it was his conditioning that
brought him the championship. "In
the second period you could tell that
his opponent was getting tired,"
stated Walker. "That's when Jake
took control."
Following the match Percival was
the number one ranked wrestler in
the nation, and was preparing for the
National Tournament in Pittsburgh,
Pa. where he would finish in third
place.
#9: City changes sewer rates
For years the city of Amherst has
charged one flat rate of $21 per
month for sewer usage, no matter
how much water a particular household used. As of Nov. 1, 2000 the
city eliminated the flat rate in favor
of a per usage charge.
The change was prompted by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA declared that Amherst's
wastewater treatment plant was in
need of upgrading. The cost of upgrading the plant was set at $8 million. The flat rate that was being
charged was sufficient lo meet the
projected revenue requirements for
the service, however, it was insufficient lo meet the financial needs of
the wastewater treatment plant
project
While the change was welcomed
by those who use less water, those
families who use greater amounts
were less than pleased. Because the
city is now charging on a per usage
basis, some residents' bills will
triple. Don Woodings,  utilities
superintendent for the city stated
that people should not have to pay
for water they don't use. "This is a
more equitable way to charge,"
stated Woodings.
The city will continue to charge
on a per usage basis after the three-
year life of the wastewaer treatment
plant project There are no plans to
go back to the $21 flat rate.
#8: Comets upset Shoremen away
It was billed as the "Clash of the
Titans." The top two football teams
in Lorain County standing toe to toe
with a conference championship and
an undefeated record on line. The
stage was set for the biggest game
of 2000 high school football season
when the Amherst Comets traveled
©Avon Lake to defeat the Shoremen in a Southwestern Conference
showdown 33-13.
The entire city of Amherst was
ready for this one. Hours before
kickoff the visiting side of Avon
, Lake's Memorial Stadium was filled
to capacity with rabid Comets fans
donning lightning bolts on their
heads. The stands were so full that
mayor John Higgins was forced to
stand for the game.
From the opening kickoff to the
final play, Amherst completely
dominated the game. In the fust half
Ihe Comet defense flexed its muscles holding Avon Lake to only 7
points. At the half Amherst held a
slim 12-7 lead.
The second half saw an offensive
explosion from the Comets. Brian
Cesear would score on a two yard
run and a blocked punt by Bobby
Madison to start the second half. After a Shoreman touchdown and
failed two point conversion, Amherst would score again. This one
was set up by tight end Nick Bigrigg. Facing a third and ten from
their own 23 yard line, Comet quarterback Dominic Pellittieri hit Bigrigg with an eight yard pass over
the middle. Bigrigg then broke a
tackle, picked up a block and
streaked all the way to the Avon
Lake 3 yard line before getting
tripped up. "I just i-frtttraf gas,"
Bigrigg would later say. Adam Kuncel would stroll into the endzone on
the next play to set the final score.
While Amherst came away victorious they would eventually lose a
closely fought game against eventual state champion Olmsted Falls.
Avon Lake would later beat the
Bulldogs to force a three way tie for
the SWC title. The Comets would
accept their second playoff birth in
as many years before being ousted
in the first round by Brecksville
20-19.
#7: Turnpike, railway minds meet
Seven years after the Ohio Turn
pike Commission gathered resources to make plans for a new interchange at RL 58, on April 19, 2000
the group reached an agreement
with the Lake Shore Railway Association that would allow the commission to move ahead with
construction.
The new interchange originally
was to be built over an abandoned
transportation corridor, destroying it
and any possibility of laying new
tracks.
The commission agreed to move
the interchange structure if the association would pay for the $1.6 million in re-engineering costs. The association had raised $300,000 in
grants, $500,000 in loans, and
$800,000 from private investors.
The commission voted to approve
the agreement and hopes to have
the interchange operable by fall of
2001.
#6: Shupe student kills self
Police have no idea what
prompted Matthew Wright a sixth
grader at Shupe Middle School, to
kill himself on Feb. 21, 2000.
Wright was found dead shortly
after 5 p.m. by a train engineer near
the railroad tracks under Middle
Ridge Rd. The cause of Wright's
death was a single gun shot wound
to the head that was apparently self
inflicted. The weapon that was used
was a shotgun that according to relatives at the time, was a Christmas
gift from his father.
Wright had a rough day at school
that day. He was brought into the
principal's office on suspicion of
chewing tobacco in class. Following
the incident Wright told classmates
that his father had talked about getting a gun and shooting his teacher.
A plain clothed police,, officer in
an unmarked car was dispatched to
the school. He had a conversation
with Wright about the consequences
of his actions. When the meeting
was-over the officer felt as though
the situation was resolved. Superintendent Robert Boynton stated that
Wright knew that he was not in any
trouble and that he was not facing
any charges when he left school.
#5: Ctty annexation proposal
In order to help solve the problem
of the "sewer to nowhere," the city
of Amherst submitted a proposal to
annex a section of Amherst Township into the city. The area in question is a 600 acre strip along Rt 58
in Amherst Township. .
Difficulties with the sewer and
the joint economic district have
added to the trouble surrounding the
annexation.
The land has not yet been annexed, but this issue is far from
CONTINUED on page 3
Ready...set...go!
The holiday from school ends today, but youngsters seized the
opportunity to get some excellent sledding in during the New
Year's break. Here, kids get a little push down the hill behind Gol-   den Acres, as wel as a helping hand back up the M.
.
Sleep-walking boy saves family from blaze
by JASON TOMASZEWSKI
News-Tim** reporter
Forget conventional electronic smoke detectors.
The Orimmett family of
Linn Road in Amhent has
Aaron.
Chuck and Linda Grira-
roeu's son Aaron acted as a
living, breaihiaf smoke detec
tor early last Tuesday
ing when iiis sleep walking
alerted bis parents to the feet
that their home was on fire.
"He periodically sleepwalks
when he it warm," stated
Orimmett That's what kept
us up, because we were nervous about him being up and
about"
Aaron was sleepwalking
downstairs when bis mother
got up and put the 10-year-
old boy back to bed. An hour
and a half later Mrs. Orimmett heard an odd sound
coming from the garage. She
persuaded her husband lo
investigate.
When he looked outside
and saw smoke, Orimmett initially thought that it was the
neighbor's house that was
burning. However, when be
opened the glass doors the
house became filled with the
smoke. That's when he realised it was his own house
that was on fire.
Orimmett said he tried to
remain calm when it became
evident that his house was on
fire and not ibe neighbor's.
He gathered his family and
At 3:30 turn, police and
fire crews arrived oo the
scene. At that time the garage
and attic were engulfed. The
Maze destroyed both die garage and the attic, while the
rest of the house suffered
smoke damage.
A_P_ording to fire chief
Ralph Zilch, the Orimmett
home suffered an animated
$100,000 in damage. How
ever, that tool does not include Orimmett's restored
1974 Volkswagen. Tbe car
was destroyed along with the
rest of the garage.
Despite the losses the
Grimmett family is happy chat
no one wis i-yured. "We dl
made it oat and we got the
dog out, too," stated Orimmett. There ware ao