Returning to normal. Are we or arent’we? Chime in, Reynoldsburg! Letters to the Editor Commenting on the content of this publication or in general about the city, is more than welcome. We are starting a new program in the Spring giving our residents and readers a platform to sound off. Only well-written, well-thought-out, respectful, courteous and timely letters will be considered for publication on a limited basis. It’s Reynoldsburg Magazine’s efforts to create conversation and input into the well-being of our city. Please send your contributions to lsomogyi@ameritech.net. by Jan 20, 2022. Publisher’s Column by Les Somogyi French bakery right here in our city I was both delighted and apprehensive about assigning Lisa Sherck, our restaurant reviewer, the job of tasting French delicacies in Reynoldsburg for review. Why? Because I did not know how it was going to go down. But when I read Lisa’s review, I was totally surprised. She figured out a sweet way of telling an unusual restaurant review story by including her family in the tasting process and making reference to her previous visit to France. Lisa has done an incredible job with Le Vieux Lyon in Reynoldsburg. Good luck to a nice Reynoldsburg couple, the owners of the bakery, making a French Midwest splash here. We love it. Writing and photo contest Reynoldsburg Magazine is returning to some old times, when we involved our readers with submitting entries in a contest. Back some years ago, it was only a photo contest. We are happy to announce the lauch of an essay and photo contest in this issue. Check it out on Page 11. Thank you so much to local writer Jen Knox for stepping up and creating the contest and to Janet Adams, our staff photographer, for jumping in an taking the contest a step further. These two ladies are gems of Reynoldsburg, caring and loving individuals who don’t mind the extra work in the hopes of involving the people of the city. Winners of the Fall contests will be published in the Spring, 2022 issue of Reynoldsburg Magazine. Police motorcycle training Seeing police motorcycle units on the streets might be a rare and sometimes intimidating Jen Knox 4 scene, except for me. This summer, I have witnessed the instruction of dozens of police officers from all over the Central Ohio area, and from the state, being trained on Harleys, thanks to a program by the Columbus Police Department’s motorcycle unit. They conducted a full summer of training at Reynoldsburg High School’s Summit Road campus parking lot. Believe me: You have got to experience the vision of a 900-pound, two-wheeled monster going at full speed and then stopping on a dime. Easy? Hardly. Dangerous? For sure. See my report on Page 29 featuring Reynoldsburg police officer David Wilson’s turn at this exhausting and grueling training. The real estate issue feature One of the items in our real estate issue is a review of an unusual home in Reynoldsburg: The Cornerbrook Farm on Taylor Road. The home was built about 81 years ago but it stacks up in beauty and design with any of the nice homes in our area. The idea, by C. W. Brook, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, was to bring the outdoors inside. This home is just that, plus more. Read Janet Adams’ review on page 14. More pandemic news As we publish our fall issue, the global pandemic has not yet released its grip on us. Reports of virus flare-ups are dogging us and, clearly, we are not out of the woods yet. Masks have returned and the pandemic is still a huge liability. I interviewed former Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud for this issue, a woman who spent her working days dealing with a global health crisis, a big part of which is right here in Ohio. There are no clear answers. There are no clear short-range solutions. The battle continues and we are lucky that we have a woman who hails from Reynoldsburg but has lauched her efforts into a global scene. Since the interview, Stephanie has returned to her former position to head the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Good luck, Stephanie! Your local community is totally behind you. We appreciate your incredible leadership and we are so proud of you. Food drive for Reynoldsburg Helping Hands Reynoldsburg Magazine is proud to sponsor the Fall-Winter Food Drive benefitting Reynoldsburg Helping Hands. The event will be held November 6, 10 am - 2 pm at the food pantry on East Main Street. Food drop off only. Rain or shine. Please come out in droves. Non-perishable food only, please. Chamber of Commerce Fund Raising Annual Dinner/Auction, one of the major fund raising events of the Chamber of Commerce will be Nov. 16 at the VFW Hall on Waggoner Road. We are encouraging all local businesses to take part in this event. To donate or volunteer, please call Acting Executive Director Susan Brusk at 614866-4753. School levy It’s been about 10 years since the schools asked for more money. But years of wear and tear on Hannah J. Ashton Middle School and the tremendous growth in the number students necessitated the school board to go back to the voters. On Nov. 2, the district will ask voters to consider a 4.9 mill bond issue (3.9 for building and 1.0 for general improvements). If the issue is approved by the voters, it would provide: • Construct a new Middle School; • Build a new Early Learning Center where the Graham Road building currently sits; • Repurpose Waggoner Middle School into an elementary school; • Address increased enrollment in our elementary schools; • Upgrade electrical and technology systems to accommodate modern learning; • Consolidate the district’s business offices for greater efficiency; and, • Create a Permanent Improvement fund to maintain buildings and facilities in the future. Campaign chairs are Tori Begeny and Aria Ragland. For information on the bond issue, please visit Reyn.org and click on Planning for Our Future, or www.forreynoldsburgschools.com. Preston Stearns What a pleasure sharing with you a timely personality sketch about a man who dedicated several years of his life to public service and the beneficiary of that service was Reynoldsburg. Preston has been an icon in shaping Reynoldsburg’s present and future. A sweet, soft-spoken, kind gentleman, his presence in our city touched my life and the lives of many others. His family has been close to Reynoldsburg Athletics as his granddaughter, Ashton Grigley, played tennis on my team. Thank you to our Staff Writer Debbie Dunlap for spending time with Preston to get us the story. Page 13. Dr. Hickman A brand new building on Main Street in Reynoldsburg but an existing practice. Dr. Hickman’s new stone-brick-wood building is a nice addition to Reynoldsburg’s streetscape. Good luck, Dr. Hickman and thank you for investing in our city. Reynoldsburg Magazine • Fall, 2021 • Provide flexible learning spaces for today’s educational models;
5 Publizr Home