Monday, December 16, 2002
The 7-foot stuffed bear from the former Lodge restaurant in Austintown has made its way to the Leetonia schools.
The restaurant had the bear because it formerly had a hunting lodge atmosphere, but new owners have switched to Italian cuisine and renamed the place Salvatore's.
Leetonia High School alumni and school officials wanted the bear for display in the new school complex because the district's sports mascot is a bear.
Alumni and school officials worked out a deal to purchase the bear from the restaurant for $2,000, with donations from the community. Even though all the money is not all in, the restaurant owners let the school have the bear.
Treasurer Larry Syverson said the bear has taken up temporary lodging in the conference room in the district administration area of the new school. Once a display platform is built, the bear's permanent home will be in the main lobby of the school.
"He doesn't cause much trouble," Syverson said. "He doesn't complain. He doesn't eat very much. We just vacuum him once in awhile, which he doesn't seem to mind."
Court monitors moved
Columbiana County's version of reality TV has ended.
Crews recently removed a bank of television monitors on the courthouse's second floor.
The monitors, installed in a hallway near a security station as part of a 1998 project, were connected to cameras in various courtrooms. The devices were watched by deputy sheriffs assigned to courthouse security detail.
But court officials didn't like the idea that the monitors were becoming popular with courthouse visitors, who would often cluster in the narrow hallway to watch court proceedings.
Cameras are still in the courtrooms, but they are now monitored through a computer screen inside the deputy's security station.
Decisions, decisions
Discussing inclement weather conditions recently, Crestview school Superintendent John Dilling said deciding whether to call off school in the morning can often be much simpler than other weather-related decisions.
During a recent day of alternating rain, sleet and snow, Dilling was keeping an eye on the weather to see whether he should send pupils home early before conditions worsened.
As it turned out, the weather cooperated and students were dismissed at the regular time without trouble.
"It's a judgment call," he said. "I won't put buses on the road in dangerous conditions. I'll keep the students here. We'll feed them dinner."
XCONTRIBUTORS: Nancy Tullis and Norman Leigh of the Salem Bureau