Church fills sanctuary with joyful music

BOUQUETS >> To First Lutheran Church, 1019 W. Fifth St. in Lorain, for once again filling its sanctuary with music of joy and praise with its Aug. 25 Organ Dedication Recital.

The church’s historic pipe organ was destroyed in the Aug. 28, 2014, arson that gutted the church formerly at 603 Washington Ave.

This was the first concert of the season for the upcoming FIRST-music series, free performances offered as part of the church’s music ministry.

Paul Fritts & Co., of Tacoma, Wash., built the new organ which replaces the organ destroyed in the fire.

The event drew a capacity crowd of hundreds - so many that church members brought in extra chairs up to the concert.

Music Director Brian Wentzel said, “Well, I guess we should have built a bigger church.”

Katelyn Emerson, an Oberlin College and Conservatory alumna now studying in Germany, and who is considered a rising star in organ performance across North America, Europe and Asia, was the main player.

Emerson introduced the pieces that she selected to demonstrate the aural tones created by air flowing through more than 2,500 pipes in the new organ.

We congratulate First Lutheran on this special occasion.

BOUQUETS >> To the Lorain Public Library System for offering new mobile hot spots at three branches for its patrons.

There are 10 available at the Main Branch, 351 W. Sixth St. in Lorain, as well as the Domonkas Branch, 4125 E. Lake Road in Sheffield Lake, and South Lorain Branch, 2121 Homewood Drive in Lorain, for a total of 30.

Strategic Initiatives Manager Sam Lewis said the devices allow users to access wireless internet from anywhere there is a cell signal.

Lewis said, “In today’s age, where the Internet is key to just about everything we do, being able to provide our users with these resources is huge. Also, if you consider the demographics of some of the communities we serve where nearly 40% of households do not have reliable, at-home internet access, there’s an enormous need for programs like this and being able to help meet those needs is extremely important.”

Lorain Public Library System CEO Anastasia DiamondOrtiz said a project like this, made possible through funding from the Nordson Corporation, is a logical extension of services the library system already offers, extending access beyond the constraints of when its buildings are open.

Lewis said the hot spots, which have a checkout time of 21 days, are designed to provide Wi-Fi for a household.

If overdue, service to the hot spot will be shut off and only one may be checked out per account and per family.

We commend the Lorain Public Library System for providing more access to the Internet for its patrons.

BRICKBATS >> To Emad Silmi, the 45-year-old North Olmsted man who will serve eight years in prison, for trafficking drugs and laundering money.

Silmi received his sentence Aug. 26 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio for his part in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, NEthyl Pentalone (an analogue to MDMA or “molly”) and marijuana.

Silmi obtained large amounts of cocaine and then sold it to other drug dealers from his business Global Auto Body & Collision at 4317 W. 130th St. in Cleveland

And Silmi laundered money as part of an effort to hide his drug profits.

Silmi wasn’t as smart as he thought he was.

He’s deserving of his punishment.

BRICKBATS >> To the culprits, who for the second time in two weeks, vandalized playground equipment at city of Lorain parks.

City workers discovered a slide at Streator Park was burned and destroyed.

Public Property Manager Lori Garcia said the fire occurred between Aug. 9, when city crews were there to mow, and Aug. 21.

But it was impossible to tell exactly when it happened.

The Lorain Fire Department also had no record of a call for a fire at the playground.

At Sunnyside Park, on Reeves Avenue south of West 24th Street, someone destroyed most of the slides and the hard rubberized plastic borders that surrounded the play structure were torn up from the ground sometime between Aug. 13 and 15.

As of right now, there are no plans to replace the slides, but city staff put a guardrail up on the platform where children would have entered the slide.

It’s a shame a few people decided to destroy equipment used by youngsters.

If someone knows who is responsible, call the police.

Stop them before vandalism occurs at a third park.