LATEST LOCAL NEWS

Berea, Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, Olmsted Falls and Olmsted Township

An Olmsted Falls School District teacher resigned Tuesday amid charges of inappropriate behavior with a student.

High school band director Edgar A. Berry had been on administrative leave since Dec. 18.

The school district had scheduled a hearing Tuesday afternoon so Berry could respond to the allegations. Instead, he handed in his resignation, which Superintendent Todd Hoadley accepted. The Board of Education was to meet Wednesday to formally OK the resignation.

Berry's brief letter, dated Jan. 5, asked that his resignation from teaching and supplemental duties be effective Jan. 7. "I have enjoyed working with the students, staff and Olmsted Falls community," he concluded.

Berry, 38, of Huron was arrested Dec. 30 by Olmsted Township police on a sexual battery charge for allegedly having sexual contact with a 17-year-old Olmsted Falls High School student.

When the Cuyahoga County Board of Health inspected Burnette's Pet Farm in Olmsted Township in October, they found areas that concerned them. They recently sent Dr. Jim Burnette, owner of the farm, a letter of health recommendations.

Most of the recommendations had to do with cleanliness. Inspectors noticed manure, standing water and excessive scrap during their last visit. Burnette said that he has since cleaned the waste from his facility.

"We have staff here that are devoted to feeding the animals and cleaning on a daily basis," he said. "There are times we get behind due to weather or illness, but we are dedicated."

The Berea mayor will unveil the new Active Senior Network, similar to an office of aging, within the coming weeks.

The Network, designed to support seniors in achieving a healthy, active lifestyle, will host monthly events and activities geared toward senior interests at little or no cost.

The network will be housed at the rec center and begins next month with just a few types of events initially including two bus trips, blood pressure and diabetes screenings, free movie showings and Nintendo Wii bowling.

Olmsted Falls scored nearly half of its points in the first quarter as the Lady Bulldogs defeated Elyria 64-47 in non-conference play Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs, who improve to 6-3, got double digits scoring efforts from Alexis Henton, Rachel Rossman, Cassie Clancy and Nicole Cantrell. Henton led the way with 19 points, all of which came in the first half.

Three consecutive 3-pointers helped the Lady Bulldogs open up a 9-0 lead before ending the quarter up 29-14. Henton hit three of her team's four first quarter 3-pointers. For a full story, please read next Thursday's News Sun.

Both Mayor Bob Blomquist of Olmsted Falls and Trustee Jim Carroll of Olmsted Township said that a discussion of a merger between the two communities was on their agendas.

Neither man said that he was pushing for a merger, both simply wanted to form a committee to take a look at its benefits and drawbacks.

Blomquist hoped a merger study would appear on the ballot this year.

Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem has taken his ethics policy one step further by enacting a gift policy.

This zero tolerance policy seeks to ensure all employees -- full time, part time and seasonal -- conduct themselves with the highest integrity, seek to avoid all conflicts of interest and appearance of impropriety, and seek the best interest of the public that employees serve, Kleem said.

"Free meals, drinks, holiday or birthday gifts, tickets to sporting or entertainment events and other gift items may be business as usual in the private sector, but government employees must conduct themselves according to a higher standard," Kleem said.

Two locations in Berea and Strongsville along the Ohio Turnpike were recommended to receive soundproofing material in a noise mitigation pilot project.

Bridle Lane in Berea, located on the south side of the turnpike just west of the Sprague Road overpass, is the site to implement a "T"-top noise barrier wall. Blazey Trail in Strongsville, located on the south side of the turnpike west of West 130th Street, was chosen to use the median-mounted acoustic panels.