An Olentangy Berlin High School student recently spoke at the National Space Club and Foundation’s Goddard Memorial Dinner, which he said has provided him with many future opportunities.

Gavin Bull, a senior in the Delaware Area Career Center’s Engineering – Robotics, Automation, and Design program, said he applied last year for the keynote scholarship offered by the National Space Club and Foundation. Eventually, he found out he had been named a finalist in the competition.

Bull said the winner of the contest would be invited to speak at the Goddard Memorial Dinner, and he wrote his 8-minute speech about what inspires him about space. Bull said he delivered five minutes of it on the call with the foundation’s board of directors during the application process.

“Once I really got into it, it was about your passion (for) space, not about your plain credentials,” Bull said. In his speech, Bull said he is inspired by the science of space travel, the way space travel is the accumulation of the latest technology and the “human triumph aspect of it all.”

“It’s the peak prime example of what humanity can do,” he said.

Bull said another candidate was chosen for the top prize, but the foundation invited all the finalists to the dinner because of the quality of their speeches.

The dinner was held on March 10 in Washington, D.C., and Bull said he was able to meet and network with figures in the aerospace industry, where he hopes to work one day.

“It was a major networking opportunity,” he said. “(I was invited) specifically to mingle and chat. That’s why they wanted to send me to this dinner.”

Bull said he met many scientists, industry figures, and several astronauts during the event.

“Everyone else there was the head of departments and then you got some kid there,” Bull joked. “Everyone there was extremely kind. … I learned how the industry interacts with each other. Everyone is interacting and collaborating on projects.”

Bull said he left the event with 28 business cards and numerous LinkedIn contacts, and he learned that success in the aerospace field is more than knowledge.

“You need that holistic approach,” Bull said. “You don’t just need the smarts, you need the interpersonal skills and organizational skills.”

Bull said he plans to attend the University of Colorado to study aerospace after he graduates this year. He added the event has made him “extremely optimistic” about his future.

“It’s all opportunities,” Bull said. “It’s not all about your degree or your college. It’s not just hard work but smart work as well. No one else my age in the state of Ohio got that opportunity. It makes me really excited that I essentially got a jump start on my career.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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During my years as a professor at the Methodist Theological School, I had class sessions begin with prayer. Following tradition, each would bow his/her head during the prayer.

But one day a student challenged the idea – of bowing our heads. She had serious hearing loss and explained that she was helped considerably if heads were raised and she could see the person – essentially adding lip-reading to her efforts to catch every word.

Although that request caught me – and others – by surprise, we quickly understood and honored her request. If our reverential posture interfered with her understanding the prayer, all were more than willing to adjust their prayer customs in our class.

Frankly, it’s a bit difficult to “challenge” the idea of bowing in prayer. That’s so habitual in our Christian tradition – and other religions as well. For much of our Judeo-Christian tradition, bowing has been a sign of humility that we’re to show to God. Numbers 20:6 offers this record: “Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent….they fell on their faces.” Bowing is understood universally as a sign of reverential respect!

On the other hand, Paul exhorted “men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.” And in John 17, when Jesus prayed for his disciples, it’s recorded: “After he had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven….” In other words, according to the Bible, there is more than one right posture for worship or prayer.

Perhaps it never was a matter of either/or. Both postures not only are acceptable, but in reality we need both – for the symbolism, and the emphasis each adds:

• The humility of bowing opens our spirits to receive the leading of God and Holy Spirit.

• The uplifted head opens our hearts to the majesty and eternal presence of God for us.

But what if there’s still a good reason, still another good reason to look down in our contemplation? Remember, Jesus asked us to pray – for God’s kingdom to come to earth! Remember, much of Jesus’ ministry was focused on earthly matters. That emphasis provided a finale for Jesus’ ascension soon after Easter. When a cloud took Him out of sight, the disciples remained transfixed. Then they were challenged: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking upward to heaven?”

That was a reasonable question – then and now! The task before Jesus’ followers was not to look up to see where he had gone, and then grieve about it. Their task was to look down, and all around — and remember what Jesus had asked them to do. Their responsibility was not to worry about the heavenly destination, but the earthy needs all around them.

At two key points in his ministry, Jesus made abundantly clear his priorities for us as followers.

In his home synagogue, he gave his first sermon. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Later, when John wanted to pass the mantle of his ministry to Jesus, he had his men ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus’ answer: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers cleansed, the deaf, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them.”

Perhaps that’s what an observer had in mind when he said of anyone disproportionately focused on eternity, the land beyond the sky. “He’s so heavenly minded that he’s no earthly good.”

Rev. William McCartney is a retired United Methodist minister and a professor emeritus of the Methodist Theological School in Ohio.

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Emerie Lee Morrison, daughter of Katie Martin Morrison and Jessica Morrison, was born at 9:51 a.m. on March 12 at Marysville Memorial Hospital.

She weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

Maternal grandparents are Randy and Leslie Martin of Urbana. Paternal grandparents are Randy and Peggy Kohler of Ashland.

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Renovations to Council Chambers inside the City of Powell Municipal Building at 47 Hall St. are likely coming soon after council members listened to a presentation detailing the proposed improvements during Tuesday’s meeting.

Finance Director Rosa Ocheltree led the presentation, which included renderings of the upgrades and a breakdown of what the city aims to accomplish with them.

“As part of the 2023 budget, council appropriated funds to renovate the council chambers and also the lobby,” Ocheltree said during the presentation. “We consulted with various designers to select and design a space that we felt is fit for council and the vision of Powell 2.0.”

Ocheltree said the goal of the renovation is to create a space that “promotes and fosters collaboration” while enhancing the experience for council, city staff and residents. She noted the project is a “refresh” rather than a construction project.

Included in the refresh is the updating of all the audio and visual equipment, as well as repainting the rooms, installing new carpet, adding new furniture, and adding additional branding. Phase two of the project will include the added branding to the building, and Ocheltree said the aim is to capture the vision of Powell 2.0 while also paying homage to Powell’s history.

If the budget for the project allows it, a third phase of the project would involve the renovation of the building’s bathrooms.

City Manager Andrew White followed the presentation by saying one of the biggest efforts of the renovations is to improve the audio and visual experiences both inside the chambers and for those watching meetings virtually.

“We also received project quotes for an upgrade to the audio and communications (equipment),” White said. “The microphones we have, if we went forward with this plan, would go away and they would be replaced with ceiling tiles that serve as both amplification and recording devices. So we can hopefully pursue greater attainment at the meeting itself and also promote better access to the online community. I know that is something we’ve heard about from people in the past, that it’s difficult to hear depending on what type of volume we have.”

Ocheltree added that an additional television would be placed in the back of the chamber room for attendees of meetings to be able to see presentations being made.

Vice Mayor Tom Counts said of the proposal, “I’d just remind everybody that this room probably was last decorated and furnished almost 25 years ago, and as we all know, much of the furnishings are being used beyond their useful life. In fact, we have experienced that they have died while we’ve been sitting here. That’s the first thing I want our residents to know if they question why we are doing this. It is definitely time.”

Counts went on to note that everything involved with the renovations includes the flexibility to be moved down the line if, perhaps, the council chambers are moved.

A total of $200,000 was allocated to the project as part of the 2023 budget. Ocheltree said the renovations currently total approximately $150,000 without the potential bathroom renovations included. A resolution for the project is expected to be presented to council at its next meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 4. Ocheltree said the renovations, if approved, should be finished by late July or early August.

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.

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SUNBURY — A public request for student directory information has been resolved, the Big Walnut Local School District recently announced.

During the March 16 Board of Education meeting, Treasurer Darren Jenkins said an anonymous public records request was made on Feb. 27 regarding information on all 4,200 students in the district. The district’s student directory has the student’s name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height information, members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, date of graduation, and awards received.

There was concern on the part of the district, the board, as well as parents, because it wasn’t known who was making the request and why. It was said that the requester told the district the information would not be used for profit-making purposes. Otherwise, Jenkins said that legally, the district was supposed to provide the information. The board considered declining the request and accepting a fine as the district would continue looking into its legal options, including discussion with local politicians.

On March 20, Superintendent Ryan McLane sent a note out to Big Walnut families.

“As was discussed at our Board meeting on Thursday and in my email to you on Friday, our district received an anonymous records request for our student directory information,” McLane wrote. “Since my last communication with you, I have learned that a second request was made for the same information, this time from a named individual who does not reside in our district. The anonymous records request was withdrawn. The second records request was modified and then later withdrawn as well. I wasn’t able to confirm that information to be entirely accurate until this morning.

“We did not release any student directory information to either party who made the request, and currently we do not have any outstanding requests for the student directory information,” McLane continued. “As you can imagine, many people have contacted our offices to opt their child out of the student directory information. In doing so, it prevents us from having your child in the yearbook, graduation and athletic program printed materials, and honor roll press releases. While I do not believe that was the intent of most people, it was their only option under the ‘all or none’ practice that was in place.

“We will be releasing an updated opt-out/opt-in form today, along with a copy of the annual notice,” McLane concluded. “This will give families a tiered approach on who they want their information released to, if they want it released at all. If you initially opted out, because that was your only option at the time, you may update your intentions by completing the new form. We are trying to make sure we have provided options that truly reflect the wishes of the families in our district.”

The district’s website at www.bwls.net has a Forms/Links page with a FERPA form.

“Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents have the right to opt their child out of directory information and communication tools such as, but not limited to, district and school newsletters; district annual report; school yearbook; local newspapers; the district web site; and broadcast media,” the form states. “NOT TO OPT OUT (CHECKING THE “I DO” BOX) means when we are highlighting student achievement and celebrating success in our schools your child may be photographed, videotaped or interviewed by district and school publications and/or local newspapers and broadcast media.”

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at gbudzak@aimmediamidwest.com.

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A group of Delaware Hayes High School students stayed after school Wednesday to sweep the floors and clean up the school in an effort to increase school pride.

The cleanup event was organized by junior Kiley McCann, who said she wanted be a positive force in the school, so she discussed the idea of helping clean up the school with Principal Dr. Ric Stranges.

“Over the school year, I’ve noticed our school needed a little tender love and care,” McCann said. “I came into Stranges’ office and said, ‘Let’s do something to fix it,’ instead of complaining about it. We brought up the idea of creating a community service opportunity for students.”

McCann said many students need some community service time to graduate, and opportunities for community service can be hard to come by since many places stopped providing opportunities during the pandemic.

“Instead of blaming, I wanted to act on it and see what opportunities I could create,” McCann said. “I want to focus on what we can make better, and what’s a new opportunity, instead of looking at all the losses we’re going through right now. We got in contact with our custodians and made it happen.”

McCann said a group of about a dozen students joined her for about an hour Wednesday picking up trash, sweeping, dusting, cleaning some of the walls, cleaning some tables, and cleaning up the basement.

Stranges said McCann did a good job organizing the event, and all of the routes were mapped out ahead of time. He added students didn’t use cleaning chemicals during the event.

“It’s not just an idea that she threw on my desk, she had solutions to get there,” Stranges said. “(When it’s this well thought out), it makes it easy to say yes.”

Stranges added staff at the school were thankful for the helping hand from students.

“The custodians appreciated the help and the attitude they had,” Stranges said. “The energy was contagious. Every student here had a great, positive attitude. They all wanted to do it again.”

McCann said she wants to organize another cleanup event this school year, and she hopes to make them a quarterly occurrence next year.

“I strive for positive energy 24/7 and making a change, and I wanted to bring those values to my school,” McCann said. “I wasn’t expecting this many people to sign up. It was pretty shocking, and everyone there was pretty excited about hopping on board and helping us out.”

McCann said she hopes the event got students, particularly seniors, invested in the school for the rest of the semester.

“I wanted to give an opportunity (to get involved) to them, instead of them feeling checked out since we only have (a couple months) left of school,” McCann said. “This doesn’t have to just be Delaware Hayes … this can be a Delaware County thing where people put hands on deck to help clean up our community. I feel like raising our school spirit here … is a big opportunity for us.”

Stranges praised McCann and the other students, and he added organizing and participating in the event shows leadership skills and “a lot of dedication.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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Olentangy Local Schools has announced construction on the district’s 17th elementary school is set to begin on Monday, April 3.

The site of the new elementary school, which has not yet been named, will be located on approximately 20 acres on the southwest corner of Piatt and Peachblow roads in Berlin Township. A groundbreaking ceremony was scheduled to be held at the site on Thursday but was canceled due to inclement weather.

Robertson Construction Services has been hired by the district to serve as the construction manager for the project. The 83,000-square-foot building is scheduled to open ahead of the 2024-25 school year and will be similar in design to the district’s other elementary schools, with the same classroom footprint as the Shale Meadows Elementary building that opened in 2021.

Construction of the new elementary school will cost the district approximately $31.6 million, which was made possible by the approval of a combined $134.7 million bond issue, a 0.5-mill permanent improvement levy, and a 7.4-mill operating levy that were all passed by voters on the March 17, 2020, primary ballot.

The bond issue has previously funded the construction of Shale Meadows, as well as Berlin Middle School, which is scheduled to open this fall for the 2023-24 school year.

“During my time as superintendent, we have broken ground on four schools — Berlin High School, Berlin Middle School, Shale Meadows Elementary, and now elementary school 17 — which have changed the landscape in the northeast region of our district,” said Olentangy Schools Superintendent Mark Raiff said in a press release. “These schools are not only needed to address the growth in that immediate area but have been imperative to relieving overcrowding at all school levels across our district. The immense support of our community to fund these school buildings allows our staff to continue to facilitate maximum learning for every student.”

The release went on to state, “The new schools address Olentangy’s continued enrollment growth. Since opening Shale Meadows Elementary School in 2021, the district’s preschool-fifth-grade enrollment has grown by over 500 students. The district has been forced to close enrollment at three elementary schools this school year and redistrict students for the 2023-2024 school year to alleviate overcrowding. Current enrollment forecasts indicate the district will have around 12,841 elementary students by the 2032-2033 school year.”

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.

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“What I tell any high school kid is, ‘Take business classes.’ I don’t care what else you’re gonna do. If you’re gonna do art or anything — take business classes.”

– Axl Rose, Guns N’ Roses founder

“This is an attempt to run up costs and burn us out. Absolutely no one is confused.”

– David L. Clark, attorney for Texas Guns and Roses

When I say “Guns N’ Roses,” chances are pretty good that you think of Axl Rose, Slash and “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Chances are also pretty good that you don’t think of running down to Houston, Texas, or jumping onto the web to buy actual guns and actual roses. But the possibility of that confusion has led to a federal trademark infringement lawsuit in Los Angeles, California.

The band “Guns N’ Roses” (using a capital “N” in place of the word “and”) was formed in March of 1985 when Tracii Guns’ band “L.A. Guns” and Axl Rose’s group “Hollywood Rose” came together and merged their names. Two years later, the band’s first album, “Appetite for Destruction,” produced the Top 10 hit “Welcome to the Jungle,” and the No. 1 hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” The group has gone through quiet periods, lineup changes, and a 2016 reunion, and is now about to embark on a world tour from June to October.

That tour doesn’t have any stops in Ohio, but it does include a stop in Houston, Texas, home of “Texas Guns and Roses,” which is neither a band, nor affiliated in any way with the famous musical group. What it is, both through a physical storefront and online, is a shop that sells actual guns and actual roses (and ammunition, gun cases, knives, etc.). And when the band discovered, in 2019, that the gun shop existed, legal sparks began to fly.

For more than 35 years, the band has held trademark protection on the name “Guns N’ Roses,” in order to prevent others from profiting off of the name or stealing it to sell their own music. They also hold a trademark on their typeface logo and previous held marks pertaining to various tours and album logos. In total, there are 17 registered trademarks under their name. Texas Guns and Roses has a typed logo that uses the full word “and,” and the Texas lone star. They registered trademark protection on the store name in 2016.

As a first step toward trademark protection, the band sent a “cease and desist” letter in February of 2020, demanding that the store stop using the name. When the store failed to respond, they sent a second letter a few months later. Seeing that they were getting nowhere with that tactic, the band tried a different route. They appealed to the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board asking them to cancel the 2016 trademark registration for the gun store.

Finally, losing patience, lawyers for the band have now filed their lawsuit asking not only for the court to find that the store’s name infringes on band’s rights, but also asking for monetary damages and attorney’s fees — both of which could be substantial. The lawsuit also points out that the store only sells roses online, barely offers them at all, and isn’t registered as a flower shop.

If the band is decades older and filed their trademark first, what chance does the store have? Well, first, they can claim that “Guns N’ Roses” is different than “Guns and Roses,” and certainly different from “Texas Guns and Roses.” Second, they can claim that it is perfectly possible for the two trademarks to co-exist, with one in the entertainment industry and the other commercial.

Finally, and most importantly, they have claimed that there simply is no risk of confusion among the general public. That is to say that no one is going to a gun shop in Houston expecting to see a rousing performance of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door,” and no one is going to pay $300 for a VIP ticket to Hyde Park in London expecting to buy a Glock 19. Consumers, they will argue, are smart enough to tell the difference. And if there is no risk for confusion, then there’s no trademark violation.

Federal civil lawsuits are not known for their swift resolution, and it is entirely possible that the matter will be settled amicably between the parties. In the mean time, you can still buy your yellow roses from a Texas gun store, and there are lots of tickets available to see Axl and Slash in Lexington, Kentucky, in September.

David Hejmanowski is judge of the Probate/Juvenile Division of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, where he has served as magistrate, court administrator, and now judge, since 2003. He has written a weekly column on law and history for The Gazette since 2005.

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The Olentangy Orange softball team has a lot of individual talent coming back after closing the 2022 season strong to finish as district runner-up.

Both pitchers — senior Anna Wilming and sophomore Gauri Naik — are back, and the lineup is loaded. But the Pioneers’ success this season will stem from way more than just the headliners.

“The great thing about our team is we have 12 very capable young ladies that are all very important for our success,” Orange coach Mason Robinson said. “We will be using all of them throughout the season in different roles, and the lineups are still being worked on as our girls are competing every day.”

Other returners include seniors Kensi Steele (corner infield), Meghan Riley (utility) and Carley Phillips (outfield); juniors Kennedy Reed (outfield), Leah Weaver (utility), Maddie Yanka (catcher/corner infield) and Sofie Terlesky (infield); and sophomore Jordyn Pelles (middle infield).

Sophomores Izzy Wilson (utility) and Emily Rodenberg (catcher/outfield) are newcomers who should also make some noise.

Last season’s late push gave the team a lot of momentum heading into the offseason, Robinson said.

“We had a lot of momentum, which created a lot of excitement,” she said. “The girls really focused on getting stronger and quicker. As far as individual skills, the girls worked a lot on their own time to hit and get their reps in.”

Orange will open the season in Florida before retuning home to take on Dublin Jerome (April 3), Teays Valley (April 4), Olentangy Berlin (April 6) and Cardington-Lincoln (April 8). The Pioneers also have North Union and Olentangy on the road before getting into league play against host Dublin Coffman (April 13).

“We have a lot of really challenging games this season,” Robinson said, “and our approach is to play it game-by-game. We don’t want to overlook anyone. Every game is important to us, to compete and get better.”

The post Depth a strength for Orange this season appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

Teams grow as the season wears on, sure, but the most growth happens over the offseason — a period the Olentangy Liberty softball team takes very seriously.

The Patriots, who finished 20-7 last year and won the OCC-Central Division title, went right to work after falling to Gahanna Lincoln in a Division I district final last season.

On the field, they took advantage of their new turf.

“We got turf on both the varsity and JV fields and we’re very excited about that,” Liberty coach Ty Kashmiry said. “That’s allowed us to be outside in December, January and, of course, February. We feel this will give us an advantage.”

Off the field, Patriot captains Luci Matteo, Abbey Sells, Brooke Aberle and Allie Motyka worked on leadership.

“I put my captains through a 10-week leadership program where they have to interview other coaches, players and professionals in other sports,” Kashmiry said. “Our team works hard in the offseason.”

Aside from the captains, other returners include junior Allie Jenkins and sophomores Izzy Matteo and Ryann Kelly. Juniors Haley Colegrove, Lizzie Kuczek and Emma Imholz are also expected to contribute while Kashmiry said he has a ton of confidence in freshman pitchers Emily Chevalier and Kailey McGinnis.

Couple that will a stellar coaching staff, and, well, the Patriots are poised to make another deep tournament run.

“Our strengths are that we play as a team and have each other’s back,” Kashmiry said. “My coaching staff is comprised of two former OCC head coaches and one college coach. I don’t believe in weaknesses, but we have opportunities to mix in our new players and come together as a great team by tournament time.”

Liberty opens the season in Myrtle Beach before hosting Newark April 3 on the new turf. The Patriots will host Big Walnut a few days later before opening league play at Upper Arlington on April 13.

“We treat each team with the same respect, so we don’t have a game circled on our calendar, but I can tell you that our league was the toughest league in the OCC last year from top to bottom … and I expect the same this year,” Kashmiry said.

The post Patriots to lean on leadership this spring appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

The Olentangy Berlin softball team came agonizingly close to securing a league title last year.

This spring, with virtually the entire team back, the goal is to finish the job.

“We had a tight run last year for OCC, but the last couple games got away from us,” Berlin coach Jenna Haskins said. “This offseason, we focused on working together and gaining more chemistry and strength. We have a great strength and conditioning program that collaborates with the coaching staff to focus on softball-specific skills … we’re hoping to build on that and become an offensively explosive team this spring.”

Syd Davis and Izzie Wilson — a pair of offensive and defensive standouts — headline the list of returning starters while Haskins expects big things from junior first baseman Ava Kresak and sophomore catcher Adelynn Young. Third baseman Payton Caldwell will also return to her starting spot at the hot corner while Jocelyn Franz has looked good at second, the coach said.

Addie Davis, Elizabeth Sprecher and Ella Erwine — all players who picked up plenty of experience as first-year starters a season ago — should be even better now that they have a year of experience under their belt. Erwine will be the leader in the circle as the only retuning pitcher, with junior Grace Kemper expected to add some depth at the position.

Others expected to contribute at the varsity level include Jaelynn Bleeks, Paige Miles and Sheridan Paykoff. Bleeks is a lefty who has speed and can play in the middle infield and outfield, Miles is a versatile player who has worked hard in the preseason and Paykoff will add depth in the outfield, Haskins said.

Obviously, with so many players back, experience is a strength.

“With only losing one person last year, we have almost an entire squad that has played at this level before,” Haskins said. “We also have a tremendous number of hardworking individuals who thrive on constructive criticism. They are always hungry for more, looking for ways to improve.”

Again, the Bears have a loaded schedule which features some of the area’s top teams, including Westerville Central, Teays Valley, Gahanna Lincoln and Hilliard Bradley. Then, in league play, there’s Marysville.

“Our goal for this year is to go after the league leaders and finally claim that OCC title we’ve been so close to getting each year,” Haskins said. “Our focus is one pitch at a time, only looking 60 feet in front of us and getting 1-precent better each day. This team has big goals, but we know it’s important to focus on what’s important now, and that’s mastering all the small stuff before we begin playing.”

The post Stronger Bears ready for another title run appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

For some programs, finishing seven games above .500 would be a heckuva year.

For the Olentangy Orange baseball team — a program that prides itself on winning league and district championships — last year’s 17-10 campaign just didn’t cut it.

“It was a terrible season by our standard,” Pioneer coach Tom Marker said of the 2022 team, which finished second in the OCC behind Liberty and was bounced out of the postseason in a district semifinal. “We just weren’t good on the field or in the handling of situations. So, our focus this year has been on developing players and being more transparent within the walls of our program.”

One thing Marker stressed is, on paper, this year’s group could be as good as any he’s had since coming to Orange. It’s led by 17 seniors, including a group of four elite pitchers: Cole Cahill, Jacob Tabor, Diego Astacio and Josiah Ross.

Cahill, a Toledo commit, has been lights out over the course of the last two seasons. He’s compiled a 14-2 record with the only losses to McKinney Boyd last season and New Albany in a regional final as a sophomore. Both were 3-1 setbacks.

He’s tossed 13 complete games and four shutouts with 111 strikeouts in 104 innings … all with an ERA of 1.80.

Tabor, another Toledo commit, has brought close to 90 mile-per-hour heat primarily out of the bullpen the last two seasons. The lefty has collected 81 strikeouts in 69 innings, and will be looking for more this time around.

Astacio, a lefty who will play at Olivet Nazarene at the next level, was 5-1 last year with his only loss to Orchard Lake Saint Mary out of Michigan. He had just eight walks in 41 innings with an ERA of 1.62.

Akron commit Josiah Ross, who throws hardest of all (90-91 in his latest bullpen session), could have a breakout season as well, Marker said.

“We return 156 of our 175 innings from a year ago,” he said. “Those are our top four arms, but the guys behind them are all veterans as well. Colin Shoemaker is an 84-85 right-hander with a sharp breaking ball, and will more than likely be our first guy out of the pen.”

Shutting teams down should most certainly be a strength, but the Pioneers have a loaded lineup as well. Cahill, Astacio and Ross will all be a part of it, as will standouts like Charlie Scholvin, Tyler Fuller, Wyatt Lidke, Casey Covert, James Wimsatt and Gabe Miller.

“You will not find a better leader than Charlie Scholvin,” Marker said. “He hit in the No. 8 hole on the 2021 regional final team, and should be in our No. 2 hole this year. He’ll also slide over to shortstop from second base … he can defend as well as any infielder we’ve ever had.

“Tyler might be our best pure bat, Wyatt is a sophomore centerfielder who can absolutely fly, Casey is an elite receiver behind the plate, James is a sophomore second baseman who is going to be a college commit by the end of his junior season and Gabe has been the best offensive performer this offseason in terms of consistency.”

Scholvin is a Toldeo commit, Fuller is a Bluffton commit and Miller is headed to Notre Dame College when he wraps up his prep career.

Others Marker said could make meaningful contributions include Jacob Lattig (outfield), Evan Eichel (right field), Morgan Twyford (catcher), Luke Shearer (outfield), and Ian Dando (outfield).

The Pioneers have the pieces in place. Now, if they are to rebound this spring, all that’s left is to make it happen on the field … against a loaded schedule.

“We bring in Orchard Lake (national high school champ and Michigan state champ) again this year,” Marker said. “That, coupled with a challenging spring trip and an always tough OCC division will make for every day being a fourth-and-goal in our minds. We need to play consistent baseball and have consistent appreciation for one another.

“If we compete together — as a group and as a program — then we can be very successful.”

The post Talented Pioneers look to rebound this spring appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

The Olentangy Liberty baseball team had a strong season a year ago and, with seven starters back and ready to roll, 2023 could be even better.

That’s saying something for a team that finished 22-7 overall and won an OCC-Central Division championship. The Patriots didn’t advance as deep into the postseason as they would’ve liked, though.

“Humility has brought clarity to our offseason habits,” Patriot coach Ty Brenning said. “We’re excited to see this group blend their individual talents into the shared goals of a team. Our senior class is a special group of leaders who inspire others and define excellence. It will be fun to see our guys in action.”

Returning seniors include Mason Onate (shortstop), Anderson Gomez (pitcher/outfield), Connor Mick (outfield), Brock Amelung (pitcher/first base), Josh Bercaw (third base/second base), Colin Bester (pitcher/first base) and Josh Stickel (second base/third base).

Onate, a Tulane commit, led the Patriots at the plate a season ago, batting .477 with five doubles, four triples, a home run and 24 RBI. Stickel is back after hitting .364 a season ago while Amelung hit over .300 as well, closing with a .328 average, seven doubles, three triples, a homer and 15 RBI.

Amelung and Gomez, who will head to Bowling Green and Walsh University, respectively, after this season, are the team’s top returning arms, too. Amelung finished 6-1 with a 1.71 ERA last spring while Gomez was 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA. The duo combined for more than 90 strikeouts in 79.1 innings of work.

Other returners include juniors Brady Schnierer (outfield) and Zach Meyer (catcher) while seniors Noah Mathis (infield/pitcher), Nick Metzger (infield), Mitchell Gray (pitcher) and Blake Hajjar (outfield) will look to contribute as well.

Sophomores Griffin Galbreath (catcher/pitcher), Andrew Leonard (infield) and Landon Hunter (outfield) will look to make some noise while freshman Drew Hauenstein (pitcher/first base/outfield), Parker Van Engelenhoven (pitcher/infield) and A.J. Goldmeyer (catcher) should add some depth.

Brenning said his team has all the ingredients to improve upon last season’s success, citing team offense, team defense and leadership as strengths.

Liberty will open its title defense April 5 against visiting Dublin Coffman. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.

The post Patriots poised to compete for another league title appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

The Olentangy Berlin baseball team had its moments a season ago, but finished the year 11-17 overall after a first-round tournament exit at the hands of Dublin Scioto — a game the Bears lost 6-4.

The season-ending setback summed up the whole year, coach Mike Weaver said … and it’s something he’s determined to turn around this spring.

“The tournament game was an example of our entire season,” he said. “We lost nine games by two runs or less. Most of those were a result of giving up too many free 90s and not always playing hard enough the entire game … we’d have one bad inning and couldn’t rebound.

“We beat Cincinnati Moeller, the No. 1 team in D-I — handing them just one of their two losses. We were talented, but inconsistent, and that falls on me.”

This year’s Bears will be led into the season by a slew of returning starters. Senior Griffin White, a Wagner commit, and junior Kyle Haag will anchor the rotation while junior Parker McDaniels will be the anchor behind the plate. McDaniels, a Miami of Ohio commit, has started at catcher since his freshman year.

Other returners include senior Nate Hurley (pitcher/first base), senior C.J. Longo (outfield), senior Jared Moeller (outfield) and junior Ascher Dent (designated hitter/first base), an Ohio State commit.

Weaver mentioned pitching, defense, team speed and leadership as strengths. To be successful, though, his guys will have to learn how to compete for one another … and learn from mistakes.

“Our goal, as always, is to learn how to play for each other, and care more about team results than personal accolades,” the coach said. “Celebrate the success of your teammates and team. I feel like, if we can do that, we have a chance to be pretty good.”

The Bears open the season while on spring break in Florida, but know they’ll have a loaded league schedule waiting for them when they come home.

“Once again, Hilliard Darby will be the favorite to win our league,” Weaver said. “Dublin Jerome, with Brayden Krenzel and the leadership of Tim Saunders back coaching, can beat anyone. But, the game we have circled on our calendar is game No. 1 in Destin versus Bellbrook.”

The post Bears determined to learn from last year appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

1876 Tucker Trl, Lewis Center, Cavote, Jeffery D & Kristine M To: Yefimov, Vladimir, $530,000

9368 Waterford Dr, Powell, Romanelli & Hughes Building Company To: Wu, Richard & Xu, Victoria, $1,221,910

6749 Hidden Creek Loop, Galena, Hooper, Matthew S To: Sanson, Brian & Jessica, $574,700

5428 Middlebury Loop, Lewis Center, Burrs, Bryan L & Ashley N To: Yadav, Randheer & Anita, $630,000

10 Rachel Ln, Delaware, Hardymon, Stephen A To: Alltop, Michael D & Susan M, $320,000

433 Senate Ave, Delaware, Underwood, Grace M To: Yoakam, Jarod L & Madison J, $315,000

6087 Hilmar Dr, Westerville, Miller, Kara A & Nash, Thomas A Jr To: Longenbaker, Daniel & Walkauskas, Kelly, $420,000

308 Linda Lee Ln, Lewis Center, Joshi, Anil To: Singhal, Mayank, $254,500

4733 Wilson Rd, Sunbury, Olding, Kyle Anthony & Lauren Ashley To: Harris, Taylor & Khosrowshahi, Yashar, $510,000

3287 Sinatra Way, Powell, Pulte Homes Of Ohio Llc To: Smith, Ronald R & Mary Ann, $479,900

8178 Jerry Dr, Powell, Pulte Homes Of Ohio Llc To: Nowland, Zachary Chase & Nina Contina, $709,900

286 Cambie Dr, Delaware, Pulte Homes Of Ohio Llc To: Norris, Michael Fitzgerald & Kelly E, $656,780

311 Harvest Walk Loop, Delaware, Pulte Homes Of Ohio Llc To: Essilfie, Kofi Nyame & Nyame, Essilfie Sarpomaa, $685,000

4643 Coyote Xing, Powell, Pulte Homes Of Ohio Llc To: Bommannan, Sathya Narayanan, $674,900

345 Mcgill St, Sunbury, Tuttle Venture Capital Llc To: Dcf Envision Properties Llc, $650,000

280 Delaney’s Cir, Powell, Gorrell, Timothy C & Elisabeth R To: Smercansky, Alexis & Brandon, $525,000

5622 Jessica Ln, Powell, Lusk, George F To: Schneider, Steven M, $448,900

The post Delaware County Property Transfers appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

SourcePoint announces the hiring of Tim Patton, CPA, as chief financial officer for the nonprofit organization. In the senior leadership role, Patton is responsible for SourcePoint’s financial and business operations, including management of finance, facilities, human resources, and information technology. Patton succeeds Kimberly Clewell, who will retire June 2 after serving the organization for more than 12 years.

Patton holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The Ohio State University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He has nearly 30 years of experience as a CPA, including a storied career with Laurel Health Care Company, a provider of skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and assisted living services. During his 22-year tenure at Laurel, he helped the organization grow from five facilities to 42 across multiple states, with more than 5,000 employees.

“Tim comes to SourcePoint with extensive financial and operational experience,” said CEO Fara Waugh. “Much of this experience is with a long-term care provider, which makes Tim a valuable addition to our team in Delaware County. He understands our mission and is eager to serve the county in which he’s lived for 34 years.”

Patton will report to Waugh and work closely with the CEO to drive the organization’s overall strategy. Clewell remains on staff as senior advisor until her retirement in June.

SourcePoint is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides professional expertise, services, and programs for Delaware County adults who want to thrive after 55 and family caregivers. Services and programs are supported in part by the local senior services levy, corporate and private donations, grants, the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, and United Way of Delaware County.

Submitted by SourcePoint.

The post SourcePoint welcomes new CFO appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

In celebration of Right to Read Week, members of the Delaware County Board of Realtors read stories to classes at Buckeye Valley East Elementary and Delaware’s Woodward Elementary. The board also donated a collection of books to both schools. Pictured, left to right, at Buckeye Valley East are Delaware County Board of Realtors members John Barcikowski, Ryan Acker, April Scowden, Debbie Leach, Dave Pacheco and Brandon Natale.

The post Realtors read to local students appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

SUNBURY — Sherri Dorsch has resigned from the Big Walnut Board of Education, effective March 17.

In a letter to school board President Douglas Crowl, Dorsch wrote, “I have sold my home in the Big Walnut School District effective this date and will be moving outside of the district; as such, I am no longer qualified to serve as a Board of Education member.”

Dorsch said in the letter (posted on her Facebook page) that her children began schooling in the district in 2008, and she began consistently volunteering. She was elected to the board in 2020.

At that time, she wrote, “I was proud to be part of that mission and vision and was confident in the direction the district was moving. Unfortunately, three years later I have serious concerns about the focus of this board and the direction it is setting for the district.

“From where I sit, it seems as though the focus is being heavily influenced by partisan politics and national culture wars, and not what is in the best interest of the staff and the students of the district,” Dorsch continued. “There is a tremendous amount of work to be done to prepare this district for the future but instead of focusing on facilities, funding, and the foundations of education, the majority of the time is being spent focused on the complaints of a handful of community members and removing innovation and autonomy from the professionals that have been hired.”

Dorsch went on to say that she hopes the board will replace her with someone who has prior experience as a school board member. If that isn’t possible, she hopes it will be someone who is a quick reader and impartial.

“I wish the best for all of the staff and students of this district,” Dorsch concluded her letter.

“Sherri Dorsch provided a shining example as a responsible Board of Education member,” the nonprofit organization BW CAPE posted on Facebook. “Let’s continue that approach in support of students, employees, our community, and public education.”

The board has 30 days from the resignation date to name a replacement to fill the unexpired term, which is Dec. 31, 2023. If the board member wants to continue beyond that, they would need to file a petition to be on the ballot for the November general election.

“All applicants should submit a letter of interest, and all applications must be received by noon on Monday, March 27, 2023 to Superintendent Ryan McLane,” said the district’s website. “This can be submitted electronically to ryanmclane@bwls.net, or a hard copy can be delivered to: ATTN Ryan McLane, 110 Tippett Court, Sunbury OH, 43074. Those applicants who will be invited in for an interview will be contacted by Board President Doug Crowl.”

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at gbudzak@aimmediamidwest.com.

The post Vacancy on Big Walnut school board appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

5991 Ludwig St, Powell, Epcon Hyatts Llc To: Ding, Xu, $475,320

6100 Acadia Ct, Galena, Bateman, Michael To: Moreno, Fidel Valero & Martinez, Cynthia Lorena Moruha, $670,000

3880 Sandstone Cir, Powell, Sengos, Athanasia Voulgaris Trustee To: Jones, Daniel P, $295,000

136 Brenden Loop, Delaware, Vanauker, Eric M & Megan E To: Strominger, Amanda Danielle & Nickolas Kyle, $300,000

2700 Cranbrooke Ln, Delaware, D R Horton Indiana Llc To: Sagi, Srinivasulu & Anuradha, Moravaneni, $596,900

465 Blues Creek Dr, Ostrander, D R Horton Indiana Llc To: Davis, Joan Bletzacker & James Robert, $474,900

62 Lobdell Dr, Delaware, Oberst, Ryan & Kaila To: Sowers, Grace & Caleb, $410,000

704 Saffron Dr, Sunbury, Englund, Bryan M & Stephanie A To: Jones, Ryan & Elizabeth, $462,500

651 Mallard Dr, Westerville, Politte, Jeffrey W & Stephanie D Co Trustees To: Finkelstein, Allan B & Bonnie S, $450,000

7079 Limerick Ln, Powell, Finken, Mark L To: Garble, John J Iv, $335,000

48 Carolyn Ln, Delaware, Karam, Nicholas & Caroline M To: Mbapngong, Stephen A & Elizabeth Andeah Nkengfua Epse, $392,000

5705 Hickory Dr, Lewis Center, Premier Living Properties Llc To: Guduthur, Sunkarsh Sreenath & Babu, Shalini Kamasetty Venkatatesha, $108,000

2555 Bellgrove Pl, Delaware, D R Horton Indiana Llc To: Deblock, Matthew & Lauren, $554,900

535 Brayshaw Dr, Ostrander, D R Horton Indiana Llc To: Kaufmann, Nathan Gregory & Amy Michelle, $507,000

7447 Clancy Way, Westerville, Robison, Christina Brooke To: Opendoor Property Trust I, $322,000

8923 Marchbank Ln, Lewis Center, Hill, Michael L & Rachael A To: Pack, James M & Holly, Keith M, $407,000

264 Richards Cir, Delaware, Slane Properties Corp To: Pham, Duc Dung & Nguyen, Lien Phuong, $415,000

4560 Marysville Rd, Delaware, Mcmahon, George J & Charlotte To: Freeman, Kaitlin R & Craig E, $415,000

The post Delaware County Property Transfers appeared first on Delaware Gazette.

By Gloria Yoder

The Amish Cook

How can a Sunday afternoon possibly be so relaxing after what seemed like such an eventful week? The past week blends into something like a haze lined with touches of God’s goodness in degrees of which I trusted or worried.

You know how it goes, first grader Hosanna sprains her ankle while jumping on the trampoline. Next little Joshua twists his foot while taking a bike ride, then hangs onto Mama every bit of his waking hours. Yes, there’s also a fatigued Mama. Daniel’s oldest brother Tobias and his wife, along with their two sweet children came for a four day visit, blessing us without end. Tobias even made a pair of the most adorable crutches for little Hosanna. A lady’s retreat in Indiana, which I planned to attend, was to be Friday and Saturday. Finding baby sitters to watch the children while Mama was gone for a day and a half came next. I clutched my head, wondering if I should even consider to go or not.

Honestly, if I knew I’d have to relive the week, I’d cry. Neither would I choose to have it differently. Doesn’t God have a way of twisting things all for good? Often after the hardest comes the best. The ladies’ retreat left me much encouraged. A hundred wives and mothers gathered as we shared, sang and soaked in topics by other women. To say the least, it was good for me, it brought me back to the reality that every person around me is also living a real life with real challenges.

Sometimes I sigh, next I grin to myself, wondering what may be around the next curve; we’d might as well fasten our seat belts and let God take us where he wants us, no matter the cost or how much it hurts.

I admit, as I think of next week, it doesn’t look like an easy path, either. Next Sunday marks 13 years since Daniel and I were united in marriage. God blessed me with so much more than I deserved as he granted me 12 years of serving as his wife (or help-mate, as I loved looking at it). As you can imagine, this year, March 19 holds an entirely different slant from recent years.

I often wonder and ponder on what Daniel would tell us if he could come back for a short season to tell us what Heaven is like and what this stage called ‘life’ looks from Heaven’s gates.

In my limited imagination, I see him telling us it’s worth it way beyond than what we can grasp and that this life will be over that much quicker than we think. Wouldn’t he also assure us that these trials which now are so real and difficult, can be swiped away by the hand of God, as hearts trust him utterly and completely?

Little Joshua, who was only a year old when Daddy died, is trying to piece everything together. It’s hard to grasp that though Daddy cannot come back to life as it was a year ago and that as we obey God, one day we will actually go to him. Recently when Joshua was waking from his nap Julia excitedly asked him, “Who do you think is here?!” (Referring to Aunt Mary.)

His delighted response came, “Daddy!!”

My heart broke, yet in my mind I recall how Daniel and I together dedicated our children to God, no matter the cost, and I know without a doubt, that even little Joshua will be cared for by God, his Father in heaven.

Okay, I’ll wrap up, sharing a light and tasty dessert. This dessert was something Daniel enjoyed and was first introduced to us by friends from Allen County Indiana.

Eclair Dessert

Crust:

• 1¼ cup boiling water

• ¾ cup butter

• 1¼ cup flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 5 eggs

Filling:

• 1 cup vanilla instant pudding

• 3 cups milk

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese

• 16 oz. cool whip

Instructions:

1. Place water and butter in a small sauce pan.

2. Heat over medium heat, until butter has melted.

3. Add flour, salt and eggs one at a time, whisking after each egg.

4. Press into a greased 13 x 18 inch pan.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

6. It will rise as it bakes then go back down after removed from the oven, looking a bit humpy.

7. For the filling, beat all the ingredients together.

8. Pour and spread onto cooled crust.

9. Spread 2- 3 cups of your favorite pie filling such as apple, blueberry, pumpkin, chocolate, or whatever on top of pudding mixture. (Or if you prefer drizzle with chocolate syrup instead.) Chill and serve.

Gloria Yoder is an Amish mom, writer, and homemaker in rural Illinois. The Yoders travel primarily by horse-drawn buggy and live next to the settlement’s one-room school-house. Readers can write to Gloria at 10510 E. 350th Ave., Flat Rock, IL 62427.

The post Small blessings in a hectic life appeared first on Delaware Gazette.