AmeriCorps’ commitment to service shown

BOUQUETs >> To the local AmeriCorps members who led a meal packaging event for those in need Jan. 22 at Lorain County Community College in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Mark Barrow, AmeriCorps college completion coach at LCCC, said, “This is our annual meal packaging event to help those in the local community.”

Barrow said this was the third year of the event which brings members of the community and college together for a day of service in King’s memory.

Volunteers cycled throughout the day and formed an assembly line, taking the food out of large containers and packaging it.

Meals were packaged by the volunteers and were delivered to organizations such as the Elyria YWCA, Oberlin Community Services and veterans associations for distribution to the needy.

We applaud the efforts of the AmeriCorps members for helping to combat food insecurity in Lorain County.

BOUQUETS » To TrueNorth Cultural Arts, Lorain County’s newest artistic center, which drew a standing room crowd on its opening night Jan. 29.

Local artists, performers and their supporters attended the grand opening of the new two-story center at 739-1 Moore Road in Avon Lake.

The former Lesco Office Building was transformed into 12,000 square feet of new rehearsal space, classrooms, studio and gallery.

TrueNorth Founder Rick Fortney recounted the history of the organization, which he started in 1999.

But his voice choked with emotion when he thanked the people who made the organization a mainstay for the visual arts, music, singing and theater in Northeast Ohio.

Fortney said, “This is truly a testament of the volunteers of TrueNorth, what you see today.

“This was an empty warehouse with wires hanging everywhere.”

TrueNorth raised $42,000 of its $50,000 goal in its “Best is Yet to Come!” capital campaign.

We congratulate Fortney and TrueNorth for moving into the new location and providing a space for local artists.

BRICKBATS » To Dennis W. Snodgrass, the 41-year-old Lorain sex offender who has found himself in more trouble for having sex with a minor.

Snodgrass pleaded guilty Jan. 19 to gross sexual imposition.

Police arrested Snodgrass in October 2015 on a secret indictment after the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office discovered evidence he had performed sex acts with a juvenile since June of that year.

The evidence was obtained when Snodgrass was incarcerated on a previous charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James L. Miraldi will sentence Snodgrass on March 9.

As a registered sex offender, Snodgrass knew better than to engage in unlawful behavior, especially with a minor.

Shame on him.

BRICKBATS » To Matthew Wenzler, the 27-year-old Avon Lake man with Hepatitis-C who is accused of spitting at Cleveland police officers early morning of Jan 19.

Wenzler, who is in the Cuyahoga County Jail on a $75,000 bond, is facing a charge of felonious assault against a police officer. His case was bound over to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

According to a Cleveland police report, a Cuyahoga Community College police officer at 2:45 a.m. saw Wenzler passed out drunk on a sidewalk near the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Ontario Street.

After Cleveland police and paramedics arrived on scene, Wenzler spat at a police officer who was attempting to load him into an ambulance.

Wenzler struggled with officers before he was placed in the ambulance.

Once secured, he lunged at an officer grabbing the vest and radio microphone while refusing to let go.

Officers then tried to arrest him for disorderly conduct and place him in handcuffs when he spit phlegm into the face of one of the officers, which got into his eyes, nose and mouth.

The officer immediately sought treatment from medical personnel on scene.

Wenzler continued spitting at officers who were attempting to strap him to the gurney until a spit mask was placed over his face.

The mask was soaked with bloody saliva.

When the mask was removed, he immediately spit into another officer’s right eye.

Officers sought medical treatment at Lutheran Hospital after being informed Wenzler has Hepatitis-C.

Wenzler’s innocent until proven guilty.

But just the thought of these allegations is disgusting.