Amherst News-Times, 2001-12-12

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Parking fines
on up and up
for violators
in downtown
Those who park in street spaces in Amherst's downtown area
for too long will now find much higher fines underneath their
windshield wipers. City council voted Monday to increase the
fines for parking in excess of time limits downtown from $5 per
offense to $25.
The change came at the request of mayor John Higgins, who
said that some downtown employees treated the $5 tickets like
parking passes.
"The violators just ignore the $5 fine," Higgins said. "You can
see the same cars there day in and day out. I want to make the
fine $25 in the downtown to discourage that"
According to Higgins, the problem of people abusing the
downtown parking spots has prompted some downtown businesses to consider relocating. He also stated that the lack of parking
in the downtown has discouraged many potential businesses from
moving into downtown Amherst
Amherst patrolman Walter Gould said that people have been
occupying downtown parking spaces far past die time limits for
CONTINUED on page 16
Arnr
plec
insanity
for sex
4 charges
She's enhancing
Gina Grasso stands next to a war memorial
cannon which she was instrumental in relocating
from town hall to a special memorial site seen
from Rt. 2. Grasso is one of seven individuals
being honored by city council with the Community Enhancement Award for their work to improve
the quality of life.
The attorney for Amherst Township resident Richard Armstrong en*
tered a plea last week of not guilty
by reason of insanity for his client,
who bees 23 counts of sexual of*
fenses involving young girls.
Armstrong was formally charged
in June with 11 counts of rape, six
counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, four counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity
oriented material or performance
and one count each of gross sexual
imposition and attempted rape.
Armstrong allegedly invited girls
as young as 11 years old into his
home where he allegedly videotaped
and photographed them nude. Prosecutors showed Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Kosma Glavas a
videotape at Armstrong's arraign-
CONTINUED on page 16
Brazilian student becomes active teenager here
by ERIK YORKE
News-Times reporter
Romina Gomes has three ways to
describe what she feels is the
American lifestyle.
"Quick, unpredictable and sometimes sweet" she said.
Gomes, 17, is a Brazilian exchange student attending Marion L.
Steele High School this year. Born
in Rio de Janeiro, Gomes is currently living with Jim and Linda
Bodnar. as well as their three sons,
Jimmy, 14, Chris, 13, and Steven, 8.
Gomes said that the biggest adjustment she had to make in coming
to the United States was learning to
interact with people differently.
"You start thinking like them,"
Gomes said. "You start to understand what is the American
lifestyle."
A private school student in Brazil, Gomes said that attending
school in Amherst was a pretty drastic change for her.
"The duration of classes (in Brazil), instead of an hour and a half, is
15 minutes," Gomes said. She added
that there are six periods instead of
four. She also said that in Brazil, the
students do not have a choice as to
what courses they will take.
"I like the experience I'm going
through," Gomes said of going to
Steele High School. "I think you
have more direction. You get more
experience with different careers before you have to make a final
decision."
According to Linda Bodnar,
Gomes has also enjoyed some of the
clubs at the high school, another
thing not offered at her school in
Brazil. Gomes has participated in
drama club activities, such as helping to build sets for "Our Town"
and passing out programs. Gomes
also played on the junior-varsity
soccer team.
In addition to taking advantage of
extracurricular activities in Amherst Gomes brought a favorite activity with her from Brazil. Gomes
is a champion in both judo and Brazilian jiujitsu.
"Romina has been practicing
martial arts since she was five years
old," Bodnar said. Gomes said that
she has traveled abroad in the past
to compete in the martial arts.
"It makes me feel better," Gomes
said of her proficiency at the martial
arts. While in America, Gomes is attending Mr. Dee's Karate Academy
in Elyria. Despite her experience in
the martial arts, she said that she
doesn't plan to make a career of it
"I'd like to go look for a career in
the humanities," Gomes said.
"Something dealing with people,
different kinds of people and how
CONTINUED on paga 10
Brazilian exchange student Romina Gomes (far right) spends
some time on the deck with members of her host family, Linda Bod
nar and her son Chris. Gomes, a martial arts enthusiast, is attending
Steele High School while in America. •
r
!
In seven years, church
goes from small crowd
to service overflbweth
by ERIK YORKE
News-Times reporter
The Trinity Evangelical Free
Church grew from humble beginnings in a Spring Street
dance studio with only 30 members. That was in 1994. Now
the church, in its own building
on Middle Ridge Road, has
more than 1,000 members.
Pastor Mark Wilke attributes
the church's growth, though he
says it may sound corny, to Jesus Christ.
"I think they come because
they're curious and they stay
because they're convicted,"
Wilke aatd.
Wilke has been a pastor at
Trinity for five years. He's seen
the church go from the dance
studio, to the old Amherst post
office building and two years
ago, finally finding what he
feels is a permanent home for
the church. During those years
he has watched the church
expand.
"The growth has been gradual and continual," Wilke said.
"We've doubled every year."
The church, which Wilke describes as "conservative theologically but really dynamic in
worship," is made up of a varied congregation, comprised of
all ages and backgrounds.
Wilke said that members of the
congregation are always willing
to volunteer their help to the
church.
"It's a congregation that's
very involved," Wilke said.
One thing that makes the
ch-ach unique, Wilke said, is
that he goes through the Bible
verse by vena, father than giving topical sermons like some
churches practice.
"I think people want to know
what God said and not the opinion of the pastor," Wilke said.
Wilke said that the growth of
the church is not a result of any
kind of recruiting or advertising, rather it is probably the experience people have at the
church that brings them back.
"Our goal was never to grow,
but encourage people to walk
with God." Wilke said.
Another facet unique to Trinity is that the services are
posted on the churches website,
so that people can download
and listen to them at home or
anywhere they have computer
access. Wilke said that he has
received messages from Brazil
and the Philippines from people
that have listened to his ser-
CONTINUED on paga 16
Pastor Mark WHkestands outside the Trinity "«•
Evangelcal Free Church which he has been « *
serving for five years. Over tha years WNke
tha church, which
rtudto, grow by
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