The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 2001-08-22

              New car dealer comes home — Page 3      Homecoming festivities set — Page 3
Amherst News-Time
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Amherst, Ohio
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Local Ames store to close in Octobe
by ERIK YORKE
News-Times reporter
Some area shoppers are shocked
and some are disappointed to learn
that the Ames department store on
190 Millstone Lane is going out of
business. The Amherst Ames is
among IS in the state to be closed
by October, according to a press release issued last week.
"It's kind of shocking," said
Ames shopper Beck Neeley. Neeley
said that she had come to shop at
Ames numerous times, and was surprised as the store had only been in
Amherst since 1999. Other shoppers
echoed Neeley's sentiments.
"I hate to see any place go out of
business," said shopper Clark
Strader. "It makes it harder on the
people that work here."
Strader added that he hopes that
another store moves in after Ames
leaves. Another Ames shopper. Reflate Canterbury agreed.
"I was a little disappointed when
they closed Hills," Canterbury said
of the store that used to occupy the
Ames building. Ames bought Hills
in 1998.
Canterbury added that she
thought the Ames in Elyria would
have been a better choice for the
company to close, citing that she felt
Amherst was more centrally located
in Lorain County.
Other Ames stores to close in
Northeast Ohio are in Akron, Can
ton, Willowick and Bedford. The
closings are a result of financial losses by the company in the past eight
of nine quarters.
According to Ames Spokesperson
Amy Romano, the decision of
which stores to close was entirely
performance based.
Store management at the Amherst
Ames declined comment on the
matter. About 50
store.
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"Every effort to
move (store employees) to neighboring stores," Romano said. She
added that for those employees who
could not be relocated to another
Ames store, severance packages will
be offered.
Welcome back: school resumes tomorrow
New principal, teachers
greet high school crew
There will be a lot of new faces at Marion L. Steele High
School this year. Principal Michael Dixon is one of 11 people beginning new positions at the school.
"I'm honored and humbled to be leading this high school as
one of its administrators," Dixon said. "1 can promise (parents)
we'll provide the best possible educational experience.*'
Dixon comes to Marion L. Steele from Plymouth High School,
roughly 44 miles to the southwest of Amherst, Dixon said.
Also new to Steele are Marie Lowrie (television productions),
Steele graduate Tabitha Chorak (math), Joe Todd (network communications in conjunction with the Lorain County Joint Vocational School), Joanna Sherry (social studies and softbali coach),
Chris Barbara (band), Chad DiFranco (art), Ruth Yuhasz (family
and consumer sciences), Kim Farkus (cook). Colleen Falbo (records secretary) and Donna Templeton (principal's secretary).
A student type-A lunch will cost $2.25 this year. There will
also be numerous a la carte items.
According to associate principal Tom Lehman, there will be a
minor change in the school's dress code. This year clothing leaving one's shoulders uncovered will be prohibited.
Though there are new major programs, Dixon said that an emphasis will be placed on student involvement. He said that since
he is new, he doesn't want to implement too many changes this *
soon.
Enrollment this year will be approximately 1,280 students. Du
xon said. Though overcrowding may be a problem initially, Dixon said that there will be 14 new classrooms added to the building by the 2002-2003 school year.
At press time, a new parking lot was under construction on the
east side of the building. Dixon said that the parking lot is supposed to be completed by the first day of school, Aug. 23.
Other expansions to the building to take place within the next
few years will be a new science wing, more space for the band
and music areas and a new cafetorium, Lehman said.
The key word for this year is flexibility," Dixon said of the
construction which will be taking place throughout the year.
Four new teachers join
staff of middle school
The first few weeks of school will be a bit more comfortable
for some Shupe Middle School students and teachers. Among
some other changes around the school, rooms that did not have
air conditioners now have window units, according to Shupe principal Greg Ring.
Another major difference at the school will be the presence of
four new teachers. Wendy Kerschner will teach fifth grade, Erin
Kinser will teach sixth grade, Colenc Walker will be the new
Special Education teacher and Jeff Myers will teach band.
Another more minor change at Shupe pertains to the lighting.
Ring said that all of the building's lights have been updated.
Students should report to school by 8:40 a.m. The school day
will end at 3:10 p.m. Ring said that students should try to be at
school a little early.
Lunch costs $2 with milk and juice sold separately for 40
cents.
Though there are no new programs at Shupe this year, Ring
said that they plan to continue their Character Education Program.
This will be the second year for that program.
Ring said that he expects 630 students to be enrolled this year.
"We've had a huge increase in enrollment," Ring said. There
will be approximately 40 more students this year than last
CONTINUED on page 7
Above, custodians Richard Giran and Henry Gonzalez prepare Junior High School guidance counselor Georgeane Poplar re-
Marion L. Steele High School for the return of students, while ports back to work a little early to get ready for the coming school
(below) parents and students stock up on supplies, and Nord       year.
Precious Moments traveling museum to visit
A 53-foot traveling museum,
showcasing one of the world's most
popular collectibles, is traveling
«oast-io-coast to help raise breast
cancer awareness. It is making a
slop in Amherst on Thursday, Aug.
23 at Ridge HiU Collectibles at 400
Tenney Avenue from 3-8 pjn.
Eneaoo Group Inc., maker of gifts
and collectibles, is sponsoring the
first national Precious Moments
Pink Ribbon Quik Collection to
honor people whose lives have been
affected by breast cancer. The quik
colkctioa is being created ia conjunction with the company's annual
Precious Moments Care-A-Van
lour. From April lo December, the
Care-A-Van will travel to onto than
90 cities nationwide to collect quilt
squares and showcase one of the
world's most popular collectibles.
Visitors will have the opportunity to
find out how ihey can be involved in
the quilt collection or drop off one
of their band-crafted quik squares.
Cotton quilt squares will be collected and assembled to create special "Pink Ribbon" quilts. They will
be donated to the National Alliance
of Breast Cancer Organisations
(NABCO) and other charitable organizations for their fiindraising efforts. Enesco hopes to collect 2.002
handcrafted quilt squares, which can
be dropped off at any of the 90 van
stops or seat by December 15,2001
to: PM Pu* Ribbon Quilt Co-action, 1 South 450 Summit A>
Suite 320, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, 60181.
"We created the Precious Mo-
menu quilt collection so that the
millions of Americans whose lives
have been touched by breast cancer
can make an enduring tribute to
their loved ones." said Julie Gwak-
ney, director of marketing for the
Precious Moments collection.
"We're very proud to be the catalyst
far this important endeavor, which
will unite women and families
nationwide."
Further information on die quik
collection Is available on Eneaco's
Web site at www^neaoacom.
"We're very excited to be a partner in the natioaal Precious Mo-
; Care-A-Van sour, which will
help raise awareness of a disease
that affects so many people," said
Amy Langer, executive director of
NABCO.
According to Langer, breast
cancer is the most common form of
cancer ia women in the U.S., affecting one out of every nine women. It
also is the leading cause of cancer
death.
NABCO is the leading non-profit
information and education resource
on breast cancer and a network of
400 organisations providing detection, treatment and cam so sbou-
(www Jtabaxcrg) alio provides information to
The Precious Moments Care-A-
Van tour offers visitor the opportunity to learn about the Precious Mo-
ments collection, including how the
figurines are created, die story of
how the collection began and to wit-
ness the special features that have
captured the hearts of collectors nationwide. Visitors to this year's lour
will receive a pink ribbon from
NABCO to show support of
sentiment or expression.
In
Enesco unveiled the Precious
Moments collection in 1978. featuring 21 teardrop mod porcelain
figurines bearing inspira-
Today. the coUec-
1.400 figur-
a
to raising awareness
of breast cancer through the quik
collection and van tour, Enesco is
raising money far NABCO from the
sale of a special Precious Moments
figurine. The figurine, entitled "Life
is Worth Fighting For." features a'
blonde girl wearing boxing gloves
with a pink ribbon on her shirt. Tha
ribbon is the symbol far breast
cancer awareness. They will make a
brunette version of est
well, releasing it ia daw far
Cancer Awareness Month ia:
October.
A
the
NABCO.
purtion of
the
will be