Eastlake Public Library lauded for program

BOUQUETS >> To the Eastlake Public Library, for offering a story time for specialneeds children.

The story time, designed and headed by children’s librarian Samantha Nicholson, lasts about 30-40 minutes and includes music, puppets and props to keep the children active, involved and entertained in a welcoming, judgment-free environment.

At the March 28 story time, kids ranging in age from toddler to early pre-teen gathered at the library with their parents. During the event, the kids enjoyed playing with rhythm sticks, scarves, bubbles and stuffed animals, while singing songs and listening to stories.

“I decided to start a special-needs story time because I saw a need in the community for library programs that welcome and enrich the lives of children with special needs, like autism, Asperger’s, Down syndrome and more,” Nicholson said.

According to Nicholson, she has had parents express that they are not comfortable attending regular programs because their child’s behavior can sometimes be unpredictable or distracting and make parents feel embarrassed.

“It’s very nice. We go to a lot of story times, but this is definitely the best one out there,” said Aaron Glass, father of twin special-needs boys from Lyndhurst. “If you go to a typical one, you feel like an outsider. Here, you can let your guard down and feel comfortable.”

This event is a wonderful idea and we commend Nicholson and Eastlake Public Library for making it a reality.

BOUQUETS >> To the Harvey High School Future Business Leaders of America Chapter, for its excellent performance at this year’s Ohio FBLA State Leadership Conference in Columbus.

The team from the Painesville-based high school received a second-place Gold Seal Chapter of Merit. The Gold Seal Chapter of Merit award is given to the chapter with the best overall results in the state competition, as well as points earned from their Program of Work throughout the year.

Harvey FBLA Chapter Adviser Nell Rapport also was named the 2017 FBLA Adviser of the Year.

The first-place winners from Harvey in the following areas include: Emerging Business Issues — Emily Murillo, Payton Miller and Sarai Flores; Introduction to Business Presentation — Samantha Tackett, Irma Frausto and Pablo Arredondo; Website Design — Jefferson Rupert, Maylee Martin and Grace Romig; Word Processing — Courtney Shaw; Local Chapter Annual Business Report – Jefferson Rupert; Public Speaking I — Marcus Mendez-Gibson; Publication Design— Dart Becks, Jillian Hach and Taylin Nichols; Sales Presentation — Brooklyn Jones; Social Media — Alex Spondike, Billy Kalina and Felix Soto Ruiz; Introduction to Business — Pablo Arredondo; Introduction to Financial Math — Samantha Tackett; Chapter Exhibit — Grace Romig and the Chapter Scrapbook — Maylee Martin

We congratulate everyone in the chapter who contributed to this outstanding effort.

BRICKBATS >> To the emerald ash borer, for killing millions of ash trees in many sections of North America, including Ohio.

A recent News-Herald story highlighted the deadly toll that this invasive species of beetles has taken on the Buckeye State.

Since Ohio is home to more than 3.8 billion ash trees — about one in every 10 trees in Ohio is an ash — the loss has created a void in the existing fragile ecosystem. All Ohio counties are currently under federal regulation for emerald ash borer.

Although we rarely single out an insect species for a brickbat, the emerald ash borer, in our opinion, is a deserving recipient.

BRICKBATS >> To whoever is responsible for a suspected chemical attack in a town in Syria’s northern Idlib province that killed dozens of people on April 4. Syrian opposition activists described the attack as among the worst in the country’s six-year civil war.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group put the death toll at 58, saying there were 11 children among the dead. Meanwhile, the Idlib Media Center said dozens of people had been killed.

The media center published footage of medical workers appearing to intubate an unresponsive man stripped down to his underwear and hooking up a little girl foaming at the mouth to a ventilator.

There was no comment from the government in Damascus or any international agency in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

It was the third claim of a chemical attack in just over a week in Syria. The previous two were reported in Hama province, not far from Khan Sheikhoun, the site of the alleged attack on April 4.

It’s a tragedy that people have to live in such a violent atmosphere.