Amherst News-Times, 1998-04-01

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Amherst News-Times
o
April 1, 1998
Amherst, Ohio
50 cents
/er program  [Jppi,*
yives city good
look into bad
water hookups
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
An inspection program started
early last year to discover the causes
of basement flooding and backup
problems in the city's sewers is beginning to yield results.
Tests using dyes and a small
underground camera have revealed
that at least half the problems are
due to bad connections or blockages
within home downspouts, according
to mayor John Higgins.
The testing was started because of
continuous complaints from resi-
dcnts about basement flooding or
toilet backups during heavy or prolonged rains.
A small camera purchased by the
city last year has followed the flow
of water from downspouts into the
city's sewers.
'The first few times we used it
we found blockages in the downspouts," he explained.
As a result, Higgins said the city
is beginning to see the advantages
of using a new type of downspout
construction for homes. Il reportedly
helps prevent or reduce the number
blockages.
Officials started their investigation by compiling a list of residents
throughout the city with homes that
experienced basement flooding.
The city is in the process of
checking the cause of the flooding
c.sing the camera or dye. The work
is being done on an individual basis
and is often time-consuming, he
added.
One neighborhood with problems
was Westchester Estates off Middle
CONTINUED on page 3
Good look at a book
This young man finds there's plenty to read at the Amherst
Public Library, as well as plenty of room to spread out and relax
among the stacks.
Doctor lands here from Germany
Former nurse takes up children's rheumatic specialty
by GLEN MILLER
.   '. :   ':   •■  :
News-Times reporter
Litde did Helmut Jungschaffer
realize when he entered medical
school in Germany nearly 18 years
ago that he someday would be practicing in the United States, especially in a place called Amherst,
30hio.
»
I
I Nor had he decided that he would
'•be one of only 120 or so doctors in
'the U.S. and Canada specializing in
pediatric rheumatology and general
pediatrics.
Jungschaffer, 45, is among the
physicians who now staff the Oberlin Clinic's new office in the Liberty
Woods office complex off Leavitt
Road. Unlil last July, he had no idea
where Amherst was let alone Oberlin, where he and his children Johannes, 12, Sebastian, 14, and wife,
Lori, live.
He is among the growing group
of physicians who first entered the
City eyes
leash law
for vicious
canines
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
The owners of pit bulls and other
dogs considered dangerous or vicious may have to register them with
the police department under a proposed update of the city's dangerous
and vicious dog ordinance.
The need to revise the ordinance
was prompted by a recent pit bull
attack on a young Lorain girl. It was
to be discussed by city council's ordinance committee Monday, March
30.
Adopted in 1983, the existing law
requires the owners of several
breeds of bull terriers, including pit
bulls, American Staffordshire terriers or mix breed bull terriers, to
have at least $50,000 liability insurance to cover attacks on humans or
other animals.
As suggested by tow director
Alan Anderson, the insurance would
CONTINUED on page 2
Helmut Jungschaffer
medical profession as a nurse. It was
a journey that began nearly two decades ago in Germany.
Not long after graduating from
nursing school, Jungschaffer decided to move up in the medical
profession.   He  worked  part-time
nights in a German hospital while
he went to medical school during
the day for six years.
Mi* rjiirsp.'s salary financed his
fffiRTfral education. He found the
change easier to make than if he had
enteral the medical profession right
out of college.
"I could use my previous profession as a nurse as a stepping stone,"
he explained.
Along the way, he became a
world traveler of sorts when he decided to participate in a social service project lhat involved helping
people with medical needs.
He opted to work in the United
States because it gave him the
chance to travel outside Germany.
He ended up in Michigan, where he
met his wife, Lori.
She went back to Germany wilh
him for six years while he finished
medical school. Because she is
American, he sought a residency in
the U.S. and found it wilh a hospital
in Philadelphia.
His journey continued westward
wilh a fellowship with a Cincinnati
hospital. It was in Cincinnati lhat he
later worked for AWUiip put'iiix for
a short while untilWw^rbffered a
position with another group practice
in Kentucky.
The practice was connected with
a hospital and those ties didn't offer
him the opportunity he wanted in a
medical practice. That changed
when the clinic offered him a job.
Not only does it enable him to treat
children, but those who suffer from
the early onset of rheumatic
diseases.
It was during his medical training
thai he became fascinated with pediatrics. Not only does he enjoy
Heating children, he finds it more
gratifying to deal with "people who
are going upwards in life than people who tend to be on the down hill
swing," he joked.
Rheumatic illnesses in children
are rare, although they are about as
frequent as juvenile diabetes and
other chronic childhood diseases.
CONTINUED on page 2
Catch a speeder:
It's not so easy
to do in this town
Going up
by GLEN MILLER
Now that spring finally has sprung, these rambunctious young ladies would rather be outside climbing
toward the heavens rather than inside playing. From
left are Racrtalle Stempowski, 6, Megan Whaley, 10,
and Taylor Stempowski, 3.
News-Times reporter
Speeders and traffic violators
continue to be a source of concern for some residents despite
pleas by city officials to slow
down and a crackdown by
police.
The latest concern was voiced
by council member John Mishak
during a March 23 council meeting because of complaints made
to him by a few residents.
The councilman said people
in residential neighborhoods
have witnessed speeders in .areas
where children walk or play.
Some motorists also have been
seen running stop signs and
traffic lights.
His report drew a frustrating
response from safety service director Sherrill McLoda, who
said police are patroling areas
and have caught some violators.
"We're doing just about everything we can but they (police) can't be in every place
when they're needed," she said.
"It's terrible."
Even worse, motorists who
crash stop signs don't look lo
see if there are children in the
area, she added.
Mayor John Higgins said he
receives at least two complaints
a week from residents throughout the city.
Extended straightaways or
two block areas without stop
signs or traffic lights have become speedways for unthinking
or uncaring motorists, he added.
"You can put a policeman
there for a while but after he
leaves it's back to the way it was
an hour before," the mayor said.
Following the meeting, Mishak said he said he thinks aggressive driving and lack of concern about the safely of pedestrians is contributing to the
problem.
Mishak said he was unaware
of the incident but noted it is an
example of the lack cf concern
among drivers.
Complaints aboul speeders
and traffic violations have been
a frequent topic among council
members several times within
the last six months.
In the past, McLoda has suggested that residents record
license numbers so drivers can
be contacted by police and
warna2d to slow down.
Tickets cannot be issued unless violators are seen by police,
she said.
Police chief William Hall said
he was surprised by the complaints because he has not received them or heard about them
from city officials.
There has been no significant
increase in accidents, one indication of more speeding,' he
added.
Yet police are vigilant. The
Cherry Valley neighborhood is
one of the areas from where
complaints have occasionally originated. Complaints tend to
drop off after police step up patrols of the area but may pick up
when they stop focusing on the
area. Hall said.
"In that case we go right back
out there again," he added.
Mishak said he was especially
concerned for school children
walking to and from scliool, particularly in neighborhoods
where there are no sidewalks.
"There's no guarantee these
people will slow down when
there are kids walking on
streets," he added. "That sacares
me."
It is one reason he and other
council members want to set
aside a portion of 5600,000 in
street repair money for sidewalk
rehabilitation and installation.
The idea was first floated by
Mishak nearly a month ago as
council was discussing the need
to renew a half percent street repair levy. The existing levy expires in 2000.
He reiterated the need to use
some of the funds during the
March 23 council meeting, although the ordinance governing
its use will have to be revised to
include sidewalks. It now restricts use of funds for the city's
annual street improvement
program.
The amount of funds reserved
for sidewalks will have to be determined by council as part of
future discussions on  when a
CONTINUED on o$tgm 2
	
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