Twhs aug 2015 mock1

August 6, 2015Volume 4 :: No. 8

Serving the Bedford Heights community

www.thestandardpublications.com

The Bedford HeightsStandard

thebroadwaycyclery.com

Located less than one mile from the Bedford Reservation singletrack bike trail

Bedford Walmart robber gets away with $7,000 in cashThe Bedford Police Department is

seeking information about the theft of $7,000 at the Walmart Superstore.

Police received a report about 2:30 a.m. July 18 of the robbery at the Rockside Road store.

Investigators believe the person who

stole the money from a cash register is between 30 and 40 years old, but are unsure whether the robber is a man or a woman.

A surveillance photo shows the person with blonde hair, possibly pulled into a ponytail and tucked under a camouflage baseball cap.

The robber wore a gray zippered hooded sweatshirt, black or blue shorts, black and white flip flops and dark-colored gloves on both hands.

Police said a note demanding money was recovered from the scene. The note stated, “Hurry, I don’t want to have to shoot

anyone,” according to police.The robber never displayed a weapon.Anyone with information about the

robbery is asked to contact the Bedford Police Department at 440-232-1234 or 440-232-3408.

Bedford police reopen 1987 cold-case murderBedford police say that new

information led to the reopening of a nearly 30-year-old unsolved murder case involving a 23-year-old woman.

Analia Zavodny was found stabbed to death in her home in Alamo Apartments on Broadway Avenue on March 13, 1987. An apartment manager found her early

that morning and called police.A Bedford detective investigating

a different case uncovered a review of Zavodny’s murder authored by a former police officer who was attending the FBI academy, Bedford Police Chief Kris Nietert said Tuesday. The review is more than two-decades old, but provided some additional insights into the case.

“It piqued (the detective’s) interest,” Nietert said. “And it led us to some information that might help us develop a suspect.”

Bedford police have asked local media outlets to provide police

officers with any news stories they ran on Zavodny’s murder.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Bedford Detective Bureau at 440-232-3408.

Free and Reduced Meals Information for 2015-2016 School YearThe Bedford City School District today

announced its 2015-2016 program year policy for free and reduced-price meals for students unable to pay the full price of meals or milk served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program. Each school office and the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by any interested party.

The Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines will be used for determining eligibility. Children from families whose annual income is at or below the Federal Guidelines are eligible for free and reduced price meals or free milk if the school participates in the Special Milk Program.

Application forms are being distributed to all homes in a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free and reduced-price benefits, households should fill out the application and return it to the school. Additional copies

are available at the principal’s office in each school. A complete application is required. Households which currently receive Special Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) or Ohio Works First (OWF) funds for a child must provide the child’s name, the SNAP or OWF case number and signature of an adult household member on the application. Households which do not receive SNAP or OWF funds must provide the names of all household members, the last four digits of the Social Security Number of the adult signing the application or state “none” if the adult does not have a Social Security Number, the amount and source of income received by each household member, (state the monthly income) and the signature of an adult household member. If any of this information is missing, the school cannot process the application.

FREE HEALTH CARE: Families with children

eligible for school meals may be eligible for FREE health care coverage through Medicaid and/or Ohio’s Healthy Start & Healthy Families programs. These programs include coverage for doctor visits, immunizations, physicals, prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, substance abuse and more. Please call 1-800-324-8680 for more information or to request an application. Information can also be found on the web at http://jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/consumers/familychild.stm. Anyone who has an Ohio Medicaid card is already receiving these services.

The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program official. To discourage the possibility of misrepresentation, the application forms contain a statement above the space for

signature certifying that all information furnished is true and correct. Applications are being made in connection with the receipt of federal funds. Schools or other officials may check the information on the application at any time during the school year. Deliberate misrepresentation of information may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable state and federal laws.

Households will be notified of the approval or denial of benefits.

Foster children are categorically eligible for free meal benefits regardless of the household’s income. If a family has foster children living with them and wishes to apply for such meals or milk for them, contact the school for more information.

2 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

The Bedford Heights Standard

102

August 6, 2015

Twenty Percent of Stores Overcharged Consumers in Cuyahoga County Consumer Affairs Price Check Sweep

In preparation for the statewide sales tax holiday August 7th – 9th, the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs performed a price-check sweep on back-to-school items to ensure that consumers are getting the prices advertised by stores. Twenty percent of the stores checked by county (8 of 36) failed the audit.

Inspectors from the Weights and Measures division recently conducted a price-check sweep on 36 stores throughout Cuyahoga County, excluding

the City of Cleveland, which has their own Office of Consumer Affairs. Inspectors checked 25 back-to-school items at each of the stores. Out of the 36 stores inspected, 28 stores passed the audit.

Kmart – 3 stores inspected (2 passed, 1 failed)

Marc’s – 13 stores inspected (13 passed, 0 failed)

Office Max – 7 stores inspected (3 passed, 4 failed)

Target – 6 stores inspected (5 passed,

1 failed) Walmart – 7 stores inspected (5

passed, 2 failed)

The stores that failed the sweep were required to correct their scanners immediately while in the presence of an inspector. A random price check will be performed again by Cuyahoga County Weights and Measures inspectors at a later date. The store list, with addresses, is on the Consumer Affairs web page, http://fiscalofficer.cuyahogacounty.us/

en-US/ConsumerAffairs.aspx “Small overcharges can add up,” said

Sheryl Harris, Interim Director, Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs. “Our findings are a reminder to shoppers to watch as their purchases are scanned and make sure their receipts reflect the advertised prices.”

Consumers who want to report an advertised price that has been rung up incorrectly or a scam, should call 216-443-7010

Global on Friday, August 7on CMA’s South TerraceCelebrate Creativity from Cultures Far

and Wide, as MIX at CMA Explores Art From Around the Globe

Enjoy August’s hot summer nights on the museum’s gorgeous south terrace as you sip a refreshing cocktail, play global games in the grass and discover art with international flair on gallery tours.

As the sun goes down, groove to the irresistible rhythms of Todo Mundo. Todo Mundo, meaning “All the World”, is one of San Diego’s hottest bands, having been

voted Best World Music band (2012-2014) at the San Diego Music Awards. Their irresistible rhythms blend the musical flavors of Spanish rumba and reggae with Brazilian, Balkan and Middle Eastern styles.

TOURSGlobes and Gods: 6:00 and 7:45 p.m.The planets Mars, Venus and Jupiter

take their names from Roman deities. Check out depictions of the gods that

gave these globes their names. (It’s not a planet, but we’ll sneak in some Pluto, too!)

Collecting Goes Global: 7:00 and 8:15 p.m.

The museum’s collection includes works of art from all over the world. Go behind the scenes with stories of how they came to Cleveland.

GLOBAL GAMES

On the Steps: Chess, checkers, dominoes, go and mancala.

On the Lawn: Croquet, kubb, bocce and the local favorite, cornhole.

Members of the Cleveland Museum of Art receive discounted or free admission to the museum’s special events and exhibitions. CMA members get FREE admission to MIX events.

May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 3

Celebrating 5 Years of Award-Winning Journalism in Central Ohio www.thenewstandard.com

The Bedford Heights Standard August 6, 2015

Cuyahoga CountyDepartment of Consumer Affairs Warns Residents of New Version of Grandparent Scam

The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs is warning residents about a costly new version of the grandparent scam, which uses iTunes as the form of payment.

A 79-year-old Cuyahoga County woman is indebted $7,000 after a scammer posed as her granddaughter. The “granddaughter” called stating that she was in jail and then handed the call off to an accomplice pretending to be a public defender. The accomplice told the grandmother she needed to pay $3,500 to free her granddaughter from jail.

When the grandmother said she did not have the bail money, the scammer directed her to get a cash advance on her credit card and use the money to buy iTunes gift cards from a nearby grocery store. After purchasing the iTunes gift cards, the scammer called to ask for the card

numbers, a tactic that allowed them to strip the value from the cards. The scammer then instructed her to mail the now worthless cards to a Columbus address.

Several days later, the scammer called again to say the granddaughter needed to pay an additional $3,500 before she could be released. The grandmother bought more iTunes gift cards and followed the scammers’ instructions to mail them to an insurance agent in Cleveland.

When the scammer called a third time, the woman called the insurer, which advised her it had no such agent and no office at that address in Cleveland.

The United States Postal Inspection Service in Cleveland, the law enforcement arm of the post office, reported receiving a nearly identical scam complaint from a senior in

Huron County who lost $8,000. Last month, the Cleveland BBB reported a Slavic Village man was approached with the scam but didn’t go through with the card purchase.

Consumers should:•Be aware that grandparent scams

are common. Seniors can avoid these scams simply by calling a relative to confirm the family member’s location. Family members should make sure grandparents have cell numbers for children and grandchildren and encourage them to verify a relative is in trouble, even if the grandchild pleads for secrecy. Spread the word to seniors so they can protect themselves. Any call in which they are asked to send money and to tell no one about the request, should be treated as suspect.

•Avoid sending payments to people who call demanding money.

It’s easy for callers to pretend to be law enforcement officers, public defenders, IRS agents or even relatives (technology can even help them change the sound of their voices).

•Understand that scammers often ask for unusual payment methods (prepaid cards, gift cards, Moneypaks, wire transfers, etc.) because they are hard for law enforcement to trace. Law enforcement and government officials will never instruct you to use a gift card to pay a fine, nor will they tell you how to take out a cash advance on your credit card.

Cuyahoga County residents who encounter a scam should call the Department of Consumer Affairs at 216-443-7035.

Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation Announces First Executive Director

The Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Development Corporation (CCCFDC), a non-profit organization formed to oversee successful development and growth of the Cleveland Convention Center and Global Center for Health Innovation, today announces the appointment of its first Executive Director, George Hillow, CPA.

Hillow currently serves as Lead Tax Director at McGladrey LLP, a global accounting firm. After starting his career with Ernst & Young, Hillow founded and served as managing partner of a local accounting firm. In addition to his CPA certification, Hillow is a Certified Forensic Accountant and earned an MBA in Corporate Finance from Ohio State University.

In addition to other civic pursuits, Hillow serves as a volunteer on County Executive Armond Budish’s Financial Task Force, reviewing the current county budget and making recommendations for short and long-term effective financial management.

Budish called Hillow “an expert in the field of financial management who will carefully oversee these important

county projects, monitor their performance, and work effectively with civic partners to make the most of these major civic investments. The Board of the CCCFDC has made an excellent choice for its first Executive Director.”

Cleveland Zoo offers free admission for seniors during annual senior safari

Getting the family together for a group outing can be tough. Everyone’s schedules are packed and it can be tricky to pick an activity that they all can agree on. Movies? Good luck getting everyone to settle on one of those. Amusement park? Too hard to keep the group together when half of them aren’t tall enough for the rides and the other half get motion sickness.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo wants to make it easy for family members from every generation to get together and make memories that will last a lifetime – so round up the special people in your life and visit the Zoo for Senior Safari on Wednesday, August 19 – featuring FREE admission for all guests age 55 and better from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Special programming and activities for Senior Safari are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., including live music from the Progressive Field Dixieland Band, blood pressure screenings courtesy of MetroHealth’s Senior Health and Wellness Center, and an

exhibitor area in the Palava Hut pavilion with representatives from additional wellness-based organizations.

No trip to the Zoo this summer is complete without feeding the giraffes at the all new Ben Gogolick Giraffe Encounter in the Zoo’s African Savanna area. Guests can feed Romaine lettuce to the giraffes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily through Labor Day. Romaine lettuce is $2 per leaf and is available at the giraffe deck site.

After visiting the Zoo’s herd of giraffes, head over to the Northern Trek area to see Sly, Sal, South, Squirt, Seatab and Missy – the six African penguins in the Penguin Shores exhibit. These penguins are visiting Cleveland for the summer only to serve as ambassadors for conservation through September 27 as part of the Zoo’s contribution to the Cleveland Water Alliance and Sustainable Cleveland’s Year of Clean Water. Penguin Shores is free with regular Zoo admission.

Complimentary transportation on the

Zoo’s tram is available to bring guests from the Welcome Plaza to the Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building where guests will see a variety of animals including the Zoo’s oldest residents, two male Aldabra tortoises, along with red pandas, gorillas and more than 30 displays of freshwater and saltwater marine life.

Northeast Ohio’s most-visited year-round attraction, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $13.25 per person, $12.25 for seniors ages 62 and older, $9.25 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children younger than 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at 3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 90 and 480.

For more information, visit

clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo or call (216) 661-6500.

THE PURR-FECT PLACE 715 Broadway Bedford, OH (440)232-9124

Trinkets, Treasures and Collectibles Hours: M, T, W, TH, F, S

11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Closed on Sundays

All proceeds benefit

Valley Save-a-Pet, Inc.

4 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008


Columbus & Ohio4 The Bedford Heights StandardAugust 6, 2015

Nothing is better than a good night’s sleep.

Think about how good you feel on those mornings when you wake up alert, jumping out of bed ready to go! That sets you up for a really great day.

Research has shown that people who chronically don’t get enough sleep are generally less healthy, less effective at work or at school, and less happy in their lives. Being sleep deprived also makes you less alert, so you’re more prone to ac-cidents of various types, including auto-mobile accidents.

But many of us don’t sleep well. Many people wake up sluggish in the morning, having to drag themselves out of bed, already thinking about when they

can get the next nap. There are many pos-sible causes of this, but two of the most

common are snoring and sleep apnea.We all know what snoring is. It’s

that annoying noise caused by your tongue or uvula (that piece of flesh that hangs down in the back of your throat) partially blocking your windpipe. As air goes past it, it vibrates, making that rattling sound.

Sleep apnea is the more severe, dangerous cousin of snoring. It occurs when the tongue or other structures in

your throat actually block the windpipe completely while you sleep, causing you to suffocate. Usually you partially wake up after a few seconds, but just enough for you to reposition yourself to get air. Then you fall back to sleep and it happens all over again … and again … and again, sometimes hundreds of times each night! All this can happen without you waking up enough to know it. Then you wake up thinking “I just slept for 7 hours, why am I still tired?”.

The most common remedy offered by medical doctors is something call CPAP (continuous positive air pressure), which involves a machine pumping air into your nose through a mask. It works for a lot of people, and in the most severe cases, it is only option (besides surgery). But some people find that the mask, the tubes which restrict movement, and noise from the machine make it uncomfortable and hard to sleep with.

About now, you’re probably say-ing “what does this have to do with my teeth?”. Well, dental researchers have de-veloped a number of small, comfortable, inexpensive devices that you can wear in your mouth at night to deal with this problem. These devices work by slightly repositioning you lower jaw so that your tongue can’t block your breathing airway. At Dodson & Associates, we can help de-termine which of these devices is best to help you.

So if you’re not sleeping as well as you’d like to, either because of your spouse snoring or your sleep apnea; if you wake up not feeling refreshed, if you feel tired all day long, if you’re not performing as well as you’d like on your job (or your teenager at school); if you want to wake up feeling great, energized, and ready to conquer the world ... Talk to your dentist!

Dr. Mychael Davis

If you’re not sleeping well ... Talk to your Dentist!

Bedford Dental AssociateMychael Davis, DDS

88 Center Rd. Bedford #330, 44146 (Next to Bedford Hospital)In the University Hospital Health Center- 3rd Floor

[email protected]

www.BedfordDentalAssociates.com

CALL 440-439-2230 for an appointment!Financing Available - We Accept Many Insurances

Back to School teeth cleaningnew Patient exam & x-RayS

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CALL 440-439-2230 for an appointment!Present this coupon at time of service. Cannot be combined with other coupons.

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MychaelDavis, DDS

“Every day, I work hard to keep you safe, save you money, and make Ward 4 the best place to live in Bedford. I respectfully ask for your vote.”

- Councilwoman Paula Mizsak

YOUR COUNCILWOMAN ALL THE TIME. NOT JUST AT ELECTION TIME.

RE-ELECT COUNCILWOMAN PAULA MIZSAK.

Cleveland Museum of Art Announces Installation of Anish Kapoor Sculpture

the Cleveland Museum of Art will exhibit a monumental work by British artist Anish Kapoor, C-Curve, a stainless steel sculpture, in the Donna and Stewart

Kohl Sculpture Garden. The sculpture comprises a curved wall of reflective steel in the shape of the letter C. The outer side of the piece functions as a typical mirror,

reflecting the museum’s architecture. On the inner side, the reflections are inverted: viewers, clouds, cars and bikers all pass across the silver screen in an

upside-d o w n

version of real life.Placed towards the north end of the

sculpture garden, C-Curve is a one-year loan from a private collector.

“Anish Kapoor is one of today’s most important and influential contemporary sculptors,” said William M. Griswold, director of the Cleveland Museum of Art. “I am extremely grateful for the generous loan of C-Curve, which will enliven the museum’s exterior north space and enthrall passers-by.”

“We are excited to add another sculpture by a highly-acclaimed artist to the Donna and Stewart Kohl Sculpture Garden,” stated Reto Thüring, associate curator of contemporary art. “The installation of C-Curve shows the CMA’s ongoing efforts not only to regularly change what’s on view in the galleries, but to understand the museum as an expanded field for experimentation that extends beyond its walls.”

May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 5


Columbus & Ohio The Bedford Heights Standard August 6, 2015

University Hospitals is pleased to bring our family

closer to yours. At University Hospitals Independence

Health Center, the area’s most trusted physicians

will offer expanded access to all of UH’s nationally

recognized care – in addition to internal medicine,

orthopaedics, physical therapy, radiology services

including X-ray and open MRI. To us, it’s the

neighborly thing to do.

For more information or to schedule

an appointment, call 440-743-8150.

A new address for us.

A new health care

partner for you.

© 2015 University Hospitals ASC 00863

440-743-8150 | UHhospitals.org/Independence

6150 Oak Tree BoulevardIndependence, Ohio 44131

Oak Tree Blvd

Liberty Way

W C

reek Rd

Rockside Plaza

Rockside Rd

Lombardo C

enter

Patriots Way77

It’s Time to Bring Education into the 21st Century

A record number of high school students are celebrating their hard-earned diplomas this year.

The celebrations won’t last. Despite their hard work, these students will soon find that they’re far from prepared for life after graduation. Academically, they’re worse educated than most of their foreign contemporaries. Occupationally, they’re ill-equipped for the jobs our economy needs. And emotionally, they’re less healthy than any generation in recent history.

America’s K-12 educational system is to blame. Despite huge advances in classroom technology and the science of learning, our nation’s schools remain a relic of another era.

Modernizing our schools isn’t just a matter of changing funding formulas and tweaking mechanisms for accountability. Instead, we must completely reimagine the American model of schooling, drawing on the science- and technology-driven practices that have revolutionized the modern world.

U.S. students are rapidly falling behind their international peers. In a recent report, America’s schools ranked 28th in the world based on the average math and science scores of 15-year-old students.

Even worse, the report found that almost a quarter of American 15-year-olds failed to acquire “basic skills” in math and science. Of the 76 countries evaluated in the study, only Luxembourg performed worse.

This poor academic performance translates directly into inadequate workforce skills, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, industries. Because of a lack of qualified applicants, companies take more than twice as long to fill STEM positions than equivalent non-STEM ones.

What’s more, current school practices are also making students psychologically unhealthy. The incidence of anxiety and depression among American adolescents has reached alarming levels. Nearly one in five high school kids contemplated suicide in 2013, many due to stress from school.

If we’re to reverse these trends, we need to completely change the way we teach young people.

That starts by acknowledging that every student is different. As a result, students need educations customized to their evolving individual needs.

This idea is far from new. Individualized teaching has long been recognized as superior to standard one-size-fits-all

instruction. One study showed that individually tutored students performed better than 98 percent of students educated in a standard setting.

The problem is that such tutoring has long been prohibitively expensive. But with the advent of new technology, programs such as Khan Academy and Coursera are demonstrating that personalized, self-directed learning is possible on a large scale.

Once students master foundational core knowledge and skill requirements, they need resources and time to pursue their own projects, internships, and other opportunities for applied learning.

Rather than trudge through unnecessary extra science classes, for example, an aspiring writer should be encouraged to work on the novel kicking around in his head. By the same token, a science-lover should be able to spend her time in the laboratory rather than taking unwanted extra English courses. Apart from academics, schools should address students’ emotional and social growth. Those who embrace socio-emotional learning experience very real, measurable benefits -- including enhanced academic achievement.

For example, in January, Developmental Psychology published a study of grade-school students who were taught meditation and mindfulness techniques. After 12 weeks, the students showed a 24 percent decrease in aggression and a reduction in depression-like symptoms -- plus a 15 percent improvement in math scores!

Nearly every business model and academic field has been radically disrupted by new research and technology in recent decades. Yet our archaic industrial age model of K-12 schooling persists. For the sake of our future, our economy, and our children, it’s time we brought American education into the 21st century.

Alan Shusterman is the Founder and Head of School for Tomorrow (SFT).

6 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008



May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 7


Columbus & Ohio The Bedford Heights Standard

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August 6, 2015

8 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008



Donate blood through the Red Cross in final weeks of summerThe American Red Cross urges blood

donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help prevent a blood shortage.

Blood donations often decline in August as final summer vacations are planned and back-to-school activities ramp up. On average, during the summer months, about two fewer donors give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what is needed.

Donations are needed now to help ensure blood is available for patients in need. Donors with types AB, O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially encouraged to donate. Plasma from type AB donors can be transfused to patients of any blood type, as can type O negative blood. Type B negative and A negative blood can be transfused to Rh-

positive or negative patients. These are the most in demand blood types and are in constant need.

To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities

Chagrin Falls8/17/2015: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.,

Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center, 551 East Washington Street

Brecksville8/20/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Brecksville

Community Center, One Community Drive

Garfield Heights8/25/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Marymount

Hospital, 12300 McCracken Road

Cleveland8/27/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Anthony J

Celebrezze Federal Building, 1240 East 9th Street

8/27/2015: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Great Lakes Brewing Co, 1951 W 26TH St

8/27/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Warzel Blood Donation Center, 3636 Euclid Avenue

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more

information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Southeast Library SpotlightThe Southeast branch of the

Cuyahoga County Public Library is located in Bedford at 70 Columbus Road, 440.439.4997

(Programs where registration is required/requested are marked with an *)

ATTN: A representative from The Ohio Benefit Bank is available for in-person assistance at the Southeast Branch by appointment only. Get help with completing applications for SNAP, HEAP, veterans’ benefits, Medicaid and Medicare. Please call 330-217-4513 for

to make an appointment.

ADULT

Scam Alert: Saturday, August 8th / 2:00 to 3:00

p.m. Seniors (age 60 and up) make up 15 percent of the population but attract 30 percent of reported fraud. Learn about the latest scams targeting our senior population, and find out how to protect yourself and your loved ones. Presented by the Ohio Attorney General’s office. Registration required.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Family Storytime: Wednesdays / 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. (For

Caregivers & their children ages Birth - 8 years old) Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays and stories.

TEEN PROGRAMS

G2P: Animé Club: Wednesday, August 19th / 7:00 to

8:30 p.m. (Ages 11 – 18). Join us to play video games, board games and Yu-Gi-Oh trading card duels, as well as craft

activities.

MIXED AGES

Ice Cream Social: Saturdays, August 10th / 7:00 to

8:30 p.m. Get together with your neighbors for an evening of music and ice cream. The event will be held outdoors if weather permits. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Southeast Branch.

INTRODUCTION: Are you or someone you love reaching the age of 18? In Ohio, that’s when a person becomes a legal adult. It’s a real milestone in life! Young people may be graduating from high school, or starting their first real job, or going off to college, or getting married, or simply having fun without any concern about the future. In the midst of all this, there is one very adult thing that urgently needs to be done – getting personal health-care directives. Today’s column will explain what this means.

BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN is 22 years old. She is the daughter and only child of pop superstar Whitney Houston, who drowned in a bathtub in February 2012. In a creepy coincidence, in January 2015 Bobbi Kristina Brown was found unconscious and face-down in a bathtub of water. Doctors immediately connected Bobbi to machines and tubes to keep her alive. In March, news media reported Bobbi was “brain dead” and a “vegetable,” but one or two hopeful relatives insisted she was getting better and should continue on life support. Family members also disagreed who was in charge of Bobbi and her multimillion-dollar inheritance. A court had to decide who should be Bobbi’s legal guardians.

As I write this column, Bobbi Kristina

Brown has been put on hospice. What does this mean? It means her body is dying and nothing can stop it. It also means that a medical team is giving tender loving care to Bobbi, allowing her to be pain-free and comfortable as she slips away. [UPDATE: Bobbi Kristina Brown died on July 26, 2015.]

What happened to Bobbi and her family is worse than a tragedy. This is an agony.

NO HEALTH-CARE DIRECTIVESNow let me tell you what’s REALLY going

on here – legally. Bobbi Kristina Brown never signed any health-care directives.

How do I know this? From two things – the family squabbles and the court guardianship. The most important part of this story is absent – namely, what does Bobbi want? To make her wishes known, Bobbi would have had to sign health-care directives while she was still alive and well.

What are health-care directives? A “directive” is a legal document that contains your directions, your instructions, your guidance, for others to follow. For health-care, you can choose two things – WHO is to make decisions for you when you cannot, and WHAT kind of treatment you want (or don’t want) for yourself.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?In Ohio, there are two different health-

care directives that every adult should have. One is called a Health-Care Power of Attorney. The other is called a Living Will Declaration.

Think of a Health-Care Power of Attorney

as a WHO document. It names WHO you want to decide for you when you’re too sick to decide for yourself. It applies only to your health care, your body. You can also name WHO you would want as your guardian, if others tried to by-pass your Power of Attorney by going to court.

Think of a Living Will Declaration as a WHAT document. It describes WHAT you want or don’t want when you are dying (I repeat, when you are dying). Do you want a natural death? Or do you want to be kept artificially alive on machines and feeding tubes?

By making health-care directives, you can decide these serious questions while you are alive and well and without the pressure of a medical crisis.

HOW THEY BENEFIT YOUDon’t be afraid of these documents.

Health-care directives are a protection!There’s a famous saying: “If you don’t

make things happen, then things will happen to you.” In my opinion, nothing better illustrates the truth of this than medical tragedies.

If Bobbi Kristina Brown had signed a Health-Care Power of Attorney, everyone would have known WHO she wanted to make decisions for her and WHAT she wanted. Her substitute decider would have been someone of her own choice. Family members would not have had to fight over who was in charge or what they could do. A court guardianship would never have been necessary. And no one would be in the gut-wrenching position of deciding

when to “pull the plug” on Bobbi, because she herself would have made this decision in advance.

CONCLUSION: By having health-care directives, you won’t prevent tragedy from happening but you will expand your control over your own life. And you will give peace of mind and heart to the ones you love, by not making them decide what you should decide for yourself. This is true for adults of ALL ages. Getting health-care directives is a legal matter, so you need a lawyer to do this for you.

THE AUTHOR: Linda J. How is an elder-law lawyer in Bedford, Ohio. She provides Medicaid counseling and estate planning, including health-care directives for adults of all ages. She has legal training from the national organization, Medicaid Practice Systems (now known as Lawyers With Purpose). To help people understand the value of legal planning, Mrs. How presents FREE estate-planning workshops called, “Seven Threats to Your Family Security.” UPCOMING EVENING WORKSHOPS: Monday, August 10 and Sept. 14, 2015, from 6 to 8 p.m. UPCOMING AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS: Wednesday, August 12 and Sept. 16, 2015, from 2 to 4 p.m. (Location available upon request.) For an office appointment or to reserve seats at a Workshop, Mrs. How may be reached at [email protected] or 440-786-9449.

The Perfect Gift for an 18th Birthday: Health-Care DirectivesMaking Sense

of the LawLinda J. How, J.D.

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