Support for music in schools is deserved

BOUQUETs >> To the Black River Innovative Artist Residence, 668 Broadway in Lorain, for hosting its first used instrument drive Dec. 30 to support music programs in schools.

Group members will repair the instruments and then distribute them to Lorain Schools and other school districts that eliminated music programs.

Luke Theall, director of Black River Innovative Artist Residence, said, “Our idea was to simply collect as many instruments for band as we could and refurbish them and get them back into the school systems to give as many children the opportunity to study music as we could.”

Theall said the organization is accepting instruments of all kinds in addition to donations to help with the costs of refurbishment.

Erma Camp of Amherst donated her 65-year-old clarinet to support the arts and the next generation of Lorain youth.

Camp decided to pass on the clarinet she has had since the age of 10 to help expose more people to music education.

We commend Theall and Camp and others for their kindness in supporting music programs in schools.

BOUQUETS » To The LCADA Way for earning the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for behavioral health care accreditation.

The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective care.

To achieve this accreditation, The LCADA Way underwent a rigorous onsite survey in which it was evaluated for compliance with behavioral health care standards in several areas including care, treatment and services; environment of care; leadership; and screening procedures for the early detection of imminent harm.

The Joint Commission’s behavioral health care standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, quality improvement measurement experts and individuals and their families.

The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help organizations measure, assess and improve performance, according to a news release.

Thomas D. Stuber, president and CEO of The LCADA Way, said:

“The LCADA Way is pleased to receive Behavioral Health Care accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation. Staff from across our organization continue to work together to develop and implement approaches and strategies that have the potential to improve care for those in our community.”

Stuber and The LCADA Way deserve credit — and recognition — for its help in the recovery of people dealing with substance abuse issues.

BRICKBATS » To Damion L. Cheers, the 27-year-old Lorain man who was sentenced to three years in prison Dec. 28 for causing the vehicle death of Jayvian Johnson, 17.

Cheers pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, failure to stop after an accident and driving under suspension for the Oct. 19, 2015, hit-and-run that took Jayvian’s life.

He also has a five-year license suspension.

Cheers committed multiple offenses, with the first being driving with a suspended license.

After hitting Jayvian with a 2008 Dodge Avenger about 9 p.m. while he was walking with a friend in the 300 block of West 23rd Street in Lorain instead of rendering aid to the teen, Cheers fled.

Cheers did turn himself in to police eight days after the incident and apologized to the teen’s family in court, but he has to be punished.

Cheers is where he belongs. Hopefully, he and others, will learn from this tragedy.

BRICKBATS » To Brandy J. Kotab, the 30-year-old Vermilion woman who was sentenced to three years of community control Dec. 28 for making meth at a Lorain residence.

Kotab pleaded guilty Nov. 21 to a single count of illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for manufacture of drugs.

As part of her sentence, she will be required to complete a course of treatment at the Lorain County Community Based Correctional Facility.

Kotab was arrested Feb. 1, after police were called to check on an Iowa Avenue home where an elderly woman and a pregnant woman were living.

And when officers got inside, they were overwhelmed by the smell of chemicals.

They discovered a one-liter plastic bottle in the basement that contained white powder at the bottom and liquid above it with black pieces inside.

Kotab avoided incarceration this time. She was lucky this time.

If Kotab continues her criminal ways, jail is a possibility.