Yearly event at Riverside is great tradition

BOUQUETS >> To all of those people at Riverside High School in Painesville Township, as well as community donors, who contributed to the success of the school’s annual Valentine’s Day Dance for area students with special needs.

Riverside Intervention Specialist Emily Abbott said about 285 students and staff attended from 16 different schools.

“This is the largest event that we’ve had,” she said during the Feb. 14 gala. “There are several new schools. It’s definitely growing.”

Abbott said one of the benefits is the networking with other schools.

Intervention Specialist Elizabeth Sebbio said the students are also building vocational skills by assisting in the event set-up.

While Riverside has hosted this event for over 15 years, Abbott and Sebbio have been organizing it for three. Intervention Specialist Korene Engelking was new to the team this year.

“It’s been fun,” Engelking said. “I’ve been to the event before, but it was great to contribute in this way.”

In addition to more students, there were also more sponsors this year.

“We are so grateful for all the generous donations,” Abbott said, noting that more than 40 local sponsors participated. “We would not have been able to do it without them.”

Here’s hoping that this event will continue for many years to come.

BOUQUETS » To Morris Beverage III, on being appointed as 2018 campaign chairman for United Way of Lake County.

Beverage is co-founder, financial adviser and president of Lighthouse Advisers, an independent financial services firm based in Mentor. Before initiating a partnership to form his own firm, Beverage worked for years in a variety of regional and multinational banks and financial services firms.

A Lake County native, Beverage attended Lakeland Community College and Cleveland State University, where he earned a master’s degree.

Beverage said he was shocked and honored at the appointment.

“You don’t realize you’re in that role until you’re in that role,” he said, noting that he’s already begun working with UWLC staff. “I’m excited and want to get a jump on the ball. The list of past chairs is an impressive list of diverse professionals ... Having the opportunity to lead the campaign is something you don’t say no to. I know it’s a lot of work, but it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”

Beverage recently served as fundraising chairman and board vice president of the Miracle League of Lake County. He’s previously served as a board member for the Lake/Geauga Educational Assistance Foundation, and has served as both a board member and board president for the Lake County Historical Society.

We’re confident that Beverage will achieve excellent results as the leader of UWLC’s 2018 campaign.

BRICKBATS » To 18-year-old Jacob LaRosa of Niles after he pleaded no contest to charges that he tried to rape his 94-year-old neighbor and beat her to death with a flashlight.

The Warren Tribune Chronicle reported that LaRosa entered the plea to aggravated murder and attempted rape charges and was found guilty Feb. 13 in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. The plea came as jury selection for his trial was about to begin.

Authorities say LaRosa killed Maria Belcastro in March 2015 at her home in Niles. LaRosa, who was 15 at the time, had just been released from a juvenile detention center. He was arrested after stumbling home covered with blood. Efforts to keep LaRosa’s case in Juvenile Court were unsuccessful.

Sentencing is scheduled to begin April 5.

We believe that LaRosa should receive a harsh sentence for this heinous crime.

BRICKBATS » To James Nice, the former Akron police chief, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempted unauthorized use of a police database.

Nice was sentenced to one year of probation and lost his certificate to be a state police officer during his sentencing hearing Feb. 13.

The 63-year-old New Franklin man resigned last August amid allegations of misconduct related to an investigation into his nephew, allegations of using a racial slur and allegations of having a sexual relationship with a department member.

Nice said after his sentencing hearing that the “false allegations” led to an “unjust end” to his employment.

Nevertheless, it’s disappointing to see a police chief to get involved in circumstances that would lead to this kind of downfall.