Amherst News-Times, 2000-05-17

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Amherst News-Tim<
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Wednesday, May 17, 2000
Amherst, Ohio
Downtown group proposes plan for old P<
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by KEITH GRIBBINS
News-Times reporter
The old Post Office building on
Park Avenue has come under discussion again by the city in hopes of
putting the prominent downtown
building to use.
Gary Mitchell of the Amherst
Downtown Business Association
(ADBA) gave a presentation to city
council Monday evening, May 9,
proposing an alternative to the facility that might help jump start the renovations of the downtown area.
The Amherst Business and Community Center is the name Mitchell
threw from the podium for the city's
old sandstone facility. A joint-use
facility that would make the office's
first floor space available for rent
for business presentations, off-site
meetings, and community events,
while capitalizing on the building's
basement for a business telecom
muting center.
"It's a valuable resource to the
city. Along with the library, the post
office could become the anchor
point for the east end of our proposed historical district," explained
Mitchell. "This could be a real benefit to our downtown business
community.''
The building's proposed telecommuting center would target local businesses or work-from-home employees for higher speed Internet ac
cess and other business services.
State funding and community and
traffic growth in the area are potential encouragements for the center,
stated Mitchell.
The old post office, originally
built in 1939, was bought by the city
in 1992 for $88,000 when the new
Leavitt Road Post Office was ready
for business. The building which
was originally built as a post office
and civil defense station, a place
where citizens could take cover
from air attacks, was closed for four
and half years after the city bought
it
In 19% and early 1997 the building was renovated by the city with
the help of the Trinity Evangelist
Free Church to be used by the religious organization for service. The
church used the old post office for
20 months before moving to their
new location.
Since then the building has been
used by a number of different orga
nizations, inci outs,
Democratic Vvomens Association,
Baseball and Soccer Associations,
and ADBA, all holding meetings for
free at the Park Ave. facility.
The place is built like a rock,"
stated mayor John Higgins. "I
would never recommend selling the
space permanently. But it is a valuable piece in the renovation process
of downtown."
ADBA's plan would use the
CONTINUED on page 6
Parent involvement is essential to the learning process, according to extended first grade teacher
Patti Wegehaupt. Tim and Pam Branscum visited Wegehaupt's class Wednesday, May 10 to emphasize her point by teaching the youngsters chalk drawing. Above right Madison Hefflay and Cody Green
'Chalk it up to good
have a little fun with their chalk drawing of the little mermaid while at left, Tim Branscum helps Angelica
Bucci with her drawing of the lady and the tramp.
teacher says
by KEITH GRIBBINS
News-Times reporter
Parent involvement in and outside
the classroom is an essential step in
the complete growth of the young
student, according to first grade
teacher Patti Wegehaupt
That's why the Powers Elementary School veteran has tried to
spread as much parent participation
into the curriculum of the local
growing student body as she can
find.
A great example was Wednesday
morning. May 10, when Tim and
Pam Branscum came into Wegehaupt's extended first grade classroom to teach chalk drawing and get
the youngsters' creative juices flowing for their spring program.
The six- and seven year-olds
drew and colored Disney characters
from video boxes as decorations for
the Disney music program that airs
tonight for a repeat performance.
"Parent involvement gives children the message how important education really is," explained Wegehaupt. "There are a variety of ways
that we can enhance and encourage
our children in the classroom and at
home."
Tim Branscum, an air-traffic controller in Oberlin, brought his chalk
drawing hobby to Powers to play
that key role in his child's development and do his part to help other
children succeed in their own individual creativity.
Branscum moved from desk to
desk Wednesday morning giving
advice and hands-on help to the
little artists as their chalk creations
came to life. Mickey Mouse, the
lady and the tramp, and the Little
Mermaid all began to jump off the
page as the students applied their
new found chalk talents to their
drawings, not to mention their entire
wardrobe.
"For those who have the time,
and those who have special talents
and abilities, they can bring those to
the schools and share them with the
children," suggested Branscum.
Branscum relayed three main objectives in his presentation with the
children: look at the picture that the
students copied to see the artistic
beauty, pay attention to the technique in chalk drawing, and just
have fun.
Wegehaupt became aware of
Branscum's chalk bobby after he
filled out a parent evaluation in the
beginning of the year. The form
simply asked if he might have some
talent that he could share with the
rest of her students. This type of
hands-on education is what students
need to occasionally ease away from
a typical school day and learn something that would not usually be on
the curriculum, according to
Wegehaupt
Other parent involvement at Powers comes in the form of assistants
in the small animal habitat and the
computer labs.
If individuals are interested in
sharing a talent with their children's
class, one need only contact the
classroom   teacher,   stated
Wegehaupt.
Although parent participation
during school is a plus for the students, Wegehaupt said, so is learning at home. Parents need to continue the educational process from
the classroom into the living room.
"It can't just happen at school.
We can build a foundation at school,
but we still need the parents' support, involvement, and encouragement," explained Wegehaupt. "We
need the involvement of the school,
parents, and the community to make
that student a well-rounded person."
Long-time bus supervisor
to retire at school's end
Ruth Williams will be retiring from her position
as the transportation supervisor for Amherst
schools. Williams has spent more than 32 years
behind the wheel of a bus or performing the duties of supervisor in order to keep the children of
Amherst safe on their way home from school.
Above, she stands with her entire staff, and below, Williams, center, stands with assistant transportation director Ted Stanziano, right, and Norm
Miller.
by KEITH QWBWNS
News-Times reporter
Ruth Williams did more than
watch the wheels of the bus go
round and round. She took a firm
grip on the steering wheel in 1969
and provided the children of Amherst with a safe trip home for more
that 32 years.
Williams, the current transportation supervisor for Amherst schools,
will step down and retire in June.
After years of commitment to the
district, the local bus driver is looking forward to retirement, but will
miss the students that would
stumble up the stairs of her yellow
caravan each morning and smile,
"Hello Mrs. Williams."
"I really like the kids. That's what
I'll miss the most You never have
two days alike in the transportation
department The job is busy and unpredictable. You just never know
what might happen next," explained
Williams.
plained, Williams. Students, parents,
principals, teachers, coaches, athletic teams, school programs, are all
on the list of passengers for the local
drivers.
But who does Williams enjoy the
most; the wee little ones.
"The small children become real
upset and they'll ask me, 'Do you
know where my house is?.' And I'll
respond 'Yes', and they're so
pleased and so happy by that," Williams suited. "The little '^eople are
just thankful you get them home
safely. They're so eager to please."
But Williams is going to be
missed just as much, according to
her colleagues. The retiring supervisor has kept the district's transportation system in line for years, while
saving money and keeping the staff
small. Her ability to deal with every
facet of her position, waa only
matched by her congenial attitude
and sense of humor that was
tial when dealing with all the parties
involved with her job.
"She's taught us all the bad things
we know," joked former driver Pat
Rutkowski. "I drove with Ruth for
25 years. We're pals in crime. We
had a lot of fun, and she's a great
boss. We put a lot of kids through
school."
"She's just terrific. We're going
to miss her, that's for sure," jumped
in driver Elmer Edwards.
"Ruth did everything for us.
She's got a nice sense of humor, and
everything we learned, we learned
from her," finished Maureen Peters.
Williams isn't quite sure what
she'll do during her retirement, but
is happy to be getting the free time.
"My staff is like a family. The
whole community is like a family.
We had our good limes and we had
our bad times. Now I'm looking forward to doing the things I never got
a chance lo do." Williams stated.
Williams started subbing in the
district before the deckled to take
the .bus route. In the late sixties, Aa
moved into the driver's seat, and
since then, has seen the community
grow up along with the children she
took to school each morning.
The veteran driver deals with
nearly everyone in die school ex-
Electric outage planned
for May 21, 5 a.m.-8 a.m.
There is a planned complete city-wide electrical outage scheduled Cor Amherst on Sunday, May 21, Gram S a.m, to 8 sum.
The outtge is necessary lo continue work on the upgrade of the
new Electric Substation #1. If it should ram, thu three-hour outage wiU be re-achedukd.
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