Grove City Messenger - June 11th, 2023

Messenger 

Grove City 

June 11 - 24, 2023 www.columbusmessenger.com Vol. XLII, No. 17 

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A message 

of kindness 

By Dedra Cordle 

Staff Writer 

Messenger photo by Dedra Cordle 

Grove City resident Lia-Mae Kass is the author and illustrator of a children’s book that 

is centered around hidden disabilities and how the choices people make, big or 

small, always have an impact on someone else. “To Whom it Concerns” was inspired 

by the one year her son played youth baseball and the support his coaches, teammates, 

and strangers in the stands showed him throughout the season even though 

he did things “a little bit differently.” Kass said the book serves as a thank you to 

those who have shown her family and her son – who has attention-deficit hyperactivity 

disorder and is on the autism spectrum – compassion, kindness, and patience 

during their life journey and also a reminder for others to try to extend those same 

courtesies to everyone you meet. “To Whom it Concerns” can be purchased through 

Amazon and Barnes & Noble while copies can be reserved through the Southwest 

Public Libraries website. 

The summer break was winding down 

and the anxiety was ramping up for Lia- 

Mae Kass. 

Having been employed as a special 

education teacher for nearly two decades, 

she had become accustomed to the transition 

between that extended break and the 

headfirst dive into a new school year but 

this time was proving to be a genuine 

challenge. 

“I was trying to prepare for my child to 

make his transition from one school building 

to another,” said the resident of Grove 

City. 

She explained that a change in routine 

had never been easy for her son, Michael, 

and she did not know how he was going to 

react to the new environment and, most 

importantly, how others would react to 

him. 

Looking from the outside, Kass said 

that her son has the appearance of a typical 

child but the way he processes things 

internally makes him different from his 

peers. For instance, he may act in a certain 

way when in uncomfortable situations 

or he may say things that come 

across as rude even if he does not mean to 

cause offense. 

“Because he has these hidden disabilities, 

people who do not know him often 

are quick to pass judgement and then 

they never get to learn about who he is 

inside and what a truly wonderful person 

he is,” said Kass. 

Feeling as if she needed to do something 

that could ease her son’s transition 

to a new school building, Kass took out a 

pen and paper and wrote a letter to the 

administration and the staff about his differences. 

She addressed the way his 

attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder 

can make him act, the way his emotions 

are affected by his anxiety disorder, and 

how his autism can often make it easy for 

him to be misunderstood. 

“I am not sure what the goal of my letter 

was,” said Kass, “but I think I just 

wanted them to remember to be kind and 

patient with him as he adjusts to an 

entirely new setting.” 

The letter sat at her desk for days as 

she mulled over the pros and cons of sending 

it out into the world. Ultimately, she 

decided that it was not to leave their 

home. 

“It was one of those moments where, as 

a mom, you’re like ‘I need to let this go,’” 

she said. “I needed people to meet him, to 

get to know him, and just hope that everything 

would be OK.” 

What she did not — and could not — 

know at the time was that the unsent letter 

would soon inspire her to begin to fulfill 

a dream of writing a book about finding 

the beauty in differences and accepting 

others for who they are. 

Kass said she has always had an interest 

in writing but it wasn’t until her freshman 

year of high school that the idea of 

becoming an author began to percolate in 

her mind. 

“I had this really wonderful English 

teacher who shared one of my fairy tales 

as a part of our class one day,” she said. 

“And she just went on and on about how 

great it was and I was like ‘Ah, someone 

else really loves what I did.’ It was just one 

of those really encouraging moments that 

stick with you forever.” 

Although she said she wrote some great 

assignments for projects throughout her 

high school and collegiate studies, she 

never did take the plunge and try to write 

that inspirational children’s book she had 

See KINDNESS page 5 

Distracted driving 

law adopted in city 

By Andrea Cordle 

Grove City Editor 

Officials in Grove City have updated the 

city code to prohibit texting while driving. 

This measure was voted on by the City 

Council about a month after Senate Bill 

288 went into effect on April 4. The bill 

designates the use of cell phones and other 

electronic communication devices while 

driving as a primary traffic offense for all 

drivers and allows law enforcement to 

immediately pull over a distracted driver 

upon witnessing a violation. Under the 

previous law, distracted driving was not a 

primary offense and it prevented officers 

from stopping distracted drivers unless the 

individual also committed a separate primary 

traffic violation, such as speeding or 

running a red light. 

According to Grove City Safety Director 

Kevin Teaford, a driver may still use their 

device in certain circumstances, such as 

when their vehicle is parked or stopped at 

See DRIVING page 6 

HAPPY 

Graduation! 

Wishing you nothing but reasons 

to smile as you celebrate this 

milestone achievement! 

Congratulations and Best of Luck! 

See Pages 9 - 11 

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Memorial Day 

in Grove City 

Messenger photos by Dedra Cordle 

On May 29, hundreds of families 

throughout the southwest region gathered 

together in Grove City for the annual 

Memorial Day parade and service. 

Hosted by the American Legion Paschall 

Post 164 and Veterans of Foreign Wars 

8198, the commemorative event pays 

homage to the men and women of the 

military who have died while in service 

to their country. Here, members of the 

American Legion’s Honor Guard present 

arms during the remembrance ceremony 

at the Grove City Cemetery. 

Middle right, the John Hoover Chapter of 

the National Society Daughters of the 

American Revolution walk in the parade. 

Below, Navy veteran Donald Cooper 

salutes the flag alongside his wife, 

Shirley, and their friend, Vi Davis. 

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Ollie Kristek, Isaac French, Alice Kristek 

and Rowan French show their patriotic 

spirit while they await the start of the 

ceremonies. 

World War II veteran Emilio Ranalli waves to the crowd as the 

Jeep he is riding in gets a push down the street from 

bystanders. The WWII-era Jeep stalled earlier on the parade 

route but was fully operational as it made its way back to the 

Central Ohio Military Museum in Harrisburg after the ceremony. 

More photos can be found at columbusmessenger.com.


June 11, 2023 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - PAGE 3 

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Messenger photo by Hannah Poling 

Little Tree Library creator Bill Dawson poses with his creation on May 20 at the 

Ebenezer Cemetery. The Little Tree Library contains books for members of the community, 

play dough for kids, games, and more. 

Carving out some reading time 

By Hannah Poling 

Staff Writer 

On May 20, the Pleasant Township 

trustees along with members of the community 

attended a ribbon cutting and dedication 

of a Little Tree Library at the 

Ebenezer Cemetery. 

Earlier this year, one of the huge century-old 

white oak trees died in the cemetery 

and Bill Dawson, who lives nearby as well 

as a number of other residents, have 

turned the remains of the old oak tree into 

a little tree library. 

Dawson said when the tree died, he 

began looking online for ideas of how to utilize 

the tree and found a picture of a similar 

tree library. As soon as he saw that 

idea, he knew that’s what he wanted to do 

in Pleasant Township. 

Dawson had the tree cut down, leaving 

enough of the trunk (12 feet) to make 

shelves with a glass door. The library also 

has a tin roof with solar lights. It contains 

a vast assortment of books for members of 

the community to read, play dough, and 

coloring books with crayons, games, and 

even seeds to plant. 

“Maybe people will come out with their 

kids, read with their kids, play a board 

game or some cards, and reflect on the veterans 

who served,” Dawson said. 

The Ebenezer M.E. Cemetery in 

Pleasant Township is the final resting 

place for some veterans from several wars 

dating back to the Revolutionary War. The 

cemetery also holds veterans that served in 

the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and 

WWII. 

“I have been voluntarily enhancing and 

maintaining the landscape beautification 

of this 1800s cemetery for the last 35 years 

to honor the veterans who are buried 

there,” said Dawson. 

Nancy Hunter, a Pleasant Township 

trustee, called the amount of time, hours, 

and work that Dawson put into the project 

“remarkable.” 

“Thank you to everyone who made this 

possible, especially the creator, Bill 

Dawson. Pleasant Township appreciates 

each and every one of you,” Hunter said at 

the dedication ceremony. 

Dawson said that he is pleased with 

how the library turned out and hopes it is 

well utilized by the community for years to 

come.


Blood drive in Grove City 

The American Red Cross will host a blood drive from noon to 6 

p.m. June 15 at the Grove City Vineyard Church, 3005 Holt Road. 

To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-448-3543 or visit 

www.redcrossblood.org. 

Alzheimer’s Association program at e Ashford 

The Alzheimer’s Association Central Ohio Chapter will host a 

program to provide guidance and support to caregivers and care 

partners. The event will be held in Grove City and is titled 

Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors. 

This program will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on June 15, at The 

Ashford of Grove City, 3197 Southwest Blvd. To register, call the 

Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800-272-3900. 

S.A.L.T. at Evans Center 

The Grove City Division of Police host Seniors and Law 

Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.) meetings at 1 p.m. the second 

KINDNESS 

Continued from page 1 

always wanted. 

Then one day in church years later, she was praying over her 

son and that unsent letter when fragments of a memory popped in 

her head: It was that of a woman in the stands who acknowledged 

Michael’s effort during his lone season of playing youth baseball. 

“I think everyone saw how hard it was for him to go out there 

but she turned to me and told me that he was having a great day,” 

said Kass. “I wasn’t able to verbalize it at the moment but it made 

me feel as if she had really seen my son and his attempts to keep 

pushing through situations that were made more challenging for 

him because of his attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and his 

sensory issues. It was a really powerful moment for me as a parent 

and really comforting to me too.” 

Putting her art skills to use, Kass began to sketch out scenes 

from that day and a very rough first draft of a children’s book with 

an uplifting message began to take shape. 

Over the course of the next four years, Kass meticulously wrote 

and illustrated a book that is centered around hidden disabilities 

and the idea that the choices people make, big or small, always 

have an impact on someone else. It is partially addressed to the 

reader in a letter format by a mother who is worried that people 

will be quick to judge her son when he takes the field and does 

things “a little bit differently.” 

Kass said she wanted her book “To Whom it Concerns” to serve 

as a thank you to those who have shown her family and her son 

compassion, kindness, and patience during their life journey and 

also as a reminder for everyone to try to remember to extend those 

same courtesies to others. 

“You really never know what someone else is going through and 

how many hundreds of little mental steps they are taking just to 

get through the day,” said Kass. 

When “To Whom it Concerns” was signed by Proving Press, an 

imprint of the Columbus Publishing Lab, Kass said she did not 

have any real expectations for it. 

“I joked that I would sell six copies,” she said. “Two to my parents, 

two to my husband’s parents, and maybe a few friends.” 

But then her fellow educators bought copies for their classrooms, 

their friends bought copies for their relatives, and complete 

strangers started to order copies through Amazon and Barnes & 

Noble. Recently, the book — which was selected as a finalist for the 

American Writing Awards children’s book division — was picked 

up for circulation at the Southwest Public Libraries and a local 

organization that advocates for individuals with special needs 

ordered more than 40 copies to be distributed at elementary and 

intermediate buildings in the South-Western City Schools 

District. 

Lisa McCarty, a member of the Grove City Buddy Ball board, 

said she loved the book and its perspective from a parent who has 

a child with disabilities, especially one that is more hidden than 

community events 

Tuesday of each month at the Evans Center, 4330 Dudley Ave. 

Adults of all ages are welcome to attend. If you would like additional 

information on other crime prevention programs visit 

police.grovecityohio.gov or call 614-277-1765. 

Century Village open house 

The Southwest Franklin County Historical Society welcomes 

groups and individuals to Century Village, 4185 Orders Road. 

Tour the historic log house and school from 2 to 4 p.m. the fourth 

Saturday of each month, May through September. For more information 

or to schedule a visit to Century Village, contact Steve 

Jackson at 614-871-0081. 

Free community meal 

Bethel Lutheran Church, 4501 Hoover Road in Grove City, will 

host a free community meal every third Saturday of each month. 

The food will be served from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, 

call the church office at 614-875-0510. 

others. 

“I think it really holds true to how all of us parents are about 

how we just want our kids to be accepted,” said McCarty. “It is a 

book that really hit me and I think it has a great message for all 

of us to be positive and to be inspiring, to be loving and accepting.” 

Kass said she has been “over the moon” with the reception to 

her first children’s book and hopes that it can make a positive 

impact on the community. 

“I think what we say or do as adults can be one of the most powerful 

things that happens to a child,” she said. “And if they walk 

away with messages that are positive and accepting then we will 

have raised a community of children who are going to have such 

an impact on the world because they have that awareness that 

what they say or do can affect someone else.” 

OBITUARY NOTICE 

Robert “Bob” M. Cotner, 73 of Ashville, OH passed away 

at home on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Bob was born on March 5, 

1950 to the late Donald U. and Jane Rae (Davis) Cotner in Columbus, 

OH. Bob grew up in Grove City and was a U.S. Army Veteran serving 

in Vietnam. He was a Combat Medic and was a recipient of The Purple 

Heart. He had worked as a Barber around Commercial Point for 

many years. He was a member of Blue Lodge F&AM. Bob liked fishing 

and enjoyed music. 

Besides his parents, Bob is preceded in death by his wife Karen E. 

(Ferriman) Cotner (2012); daughter Jennifer R. Miller (2021); brothers 

Kenneth Davis Cotner and Steve Cotner. 

He is survived by children Christina L. Cotner, James O. Cotner and 

Charles R. Koogler; brothers Andy (Jaye) Cotner and Chris (Debby) 

Cotner; sisters-in-law Lisa Cotner and Ann Cotner; numerous 

grandchildren; 1 great granddaughter; numerous nieces and 

nephews. 

Per Bob’s request, cremation will take place and no services will be 

held. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a local Veteran’s organization 

or Mt. Carmel Hospice. 

Arrangements and Care of Family by Oliver-Cheek Funeral Home, 

Ashville, OH. Online condolences at olivercheekfuneralhome.com 


House of 

Representatives 

Approves Eleven 

Measures 

This past week the Ohio House of Representatives 

completed a busy itinerary, passing ten bills and 

one resolution on to the State Senate for its approval. 

Every measure garnered true bipartisan 

support, winning at least 80 votes from the 99- 

member body. I’ve summarized several of these 

measures below. 

House Bill (HB 27) requires our state public universities 

to provide financial cost, aid, and average 

salary data in an easy-to-understand one-page format. 

In this manner, students and parents will understand 

better the cost of a college education and 

the dollars typical new graduates earn in the field 

to which the student has gained admission. I was a 

co-sponsor of this piece of legislation. 

HB 57 calls for indexing to inflation the value of a 

property that is not subject to a portion of property 

tax because it qualifies for the homestead exemption. 

This measure particularly will help senior citizens 

and military veterans maintain financial 

stability and stay in their homes. 

HB 105 reduces the penalty for an individual filing 

a late municipal income tax return from $25 per 

month to a one-time-only $25 fine. It does not 

erase any of the actual tax obligation an individual 

may have accrued. This measure will help protect 

students who may have worked in one municipality 

for a summer job and had income tax withheld but 

failed to file an actual return at the end of the year. 

HB 50 is a criminal justice measure designed to help 

reduce recidivism among formerly incarcerated individuals. 

It allows them to petition the court for a 

certificate of qualification for housing (CQH), which 

could be granted for individuals designated as rehabilitated. 

If granted, the CQH will help make it 

easier for the individual to gain access to housing 

and by providing provide some legal protection for 

the landlord. 

Additional measures: HB 28 designates March as 

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

This type of breast cancer occurs more frequently in 

younger and African American women. HB 61 designates 

November 19th as “James A. Garfield Day” 

in Ohio. Garfield, from Ohio, was our twentieth 

president and no special state designation had 

been in place for his birthday. The final measure 

was a resolution to support the Ohio Commission 

for the United States Semiquincentennial, America’s 

250th birthday celebration that will take place in 

three years. It affirms the legislature’s full and enthusiastic 

support for the activities leading up to 

and culminating on July 4, 2026. 

(Dave Dobos represents the 10th District in the Ohio 

House of Representatives, which consists of parts of 

West, Southwest, and South Columbus, Grove City, Urbancrest, 

and most of Franklin Township. He reports 

regularly on his activities in this position and his campaign 

has paid for this communication with you.) 

Paid Advertisement


DRIVING 


a red light. Drivers are also permitted to 

swipe to answer a call and to hold their 

phones to their ears during conversations. 

Emergency calls are also permitted. 

“You cannot punch in numbers or letters,” 

said Teaford. “If a driver needs to 

send a text or make a call, I encourage 

them to pull over to do so safely.” 

City leaders are concerned about the 

risks of texting while driving. 

Teaford said if a child runs out into the 

road to chase a ball, the driver’s average 

reaction time is just over one second. If 

that driver is not paying attention, that 

reaction time decreases. 

“It’s all about reaction time,” said 

Teaford. “Will you have enough time to 

stop the car before striking the child?” 

Teaford said he believes the number of 

accidents in the city caused by distracted 

driving is higher than documented, as officers 

typically arrive at an accident scene 

after the accident has happened and the 

driver may be unlikely to admit the cause 

of the accident was due to a distraction. 

From an enforcement standpoint, he also 

said it may be difficult for an officer to 

prove a driver was texting or that it was 

not an emergency. 

“An officer is not permitted to confiscate 

a phone,” said Teaford. “The officer would 

need to prove if it (the phone or device) was 

used for an emergency.” 

May 20, 2023, Grove City Police 

were dispatched to the 2800 block 

of Parlin Dr. on a report of a victim 

scammed out of $24,000. The victim 

stated the caller posed as their 

daughter’s attorney and needed a 

bond for her. The victim spoke to 

their daughter the next day and 

was told it was a scam. 


were dispatched to the 400 block of 

West River Dr. on a burglary report. 

The victim stated the home 

security video captured a white 

male suspect entering the open 

garage at 4:15 am. The suspect 

leaves ten minutes later carrying 

several items. The victim stated 

they found the inner door to the 

house was left open by the suspect. 


were notified of a theft in the 1600 

block of Stringtown Rd. The male 

suspect put a Honda lawnmower, 

Still, the safety director believes this 

legislation will deter drivers from using 

their devices while driving. 

“I believe education is the most important 

tool,” said Teaford. “Education, combined 

with enforcement, will make the 

community safer.” 

The city will allow a six-month grace 

period when officers issue a warning to drivers 

caught using their devices. 

According to Stephen Smith, the city’s 

law director, there is a sliding scale of 

penalties. 

“The more times you get caught texting, 

the worse it gets for you,” said Smith. 

The penalty starts at $150 for the first 

offense with two points on the license. The 

second offense within a two-year period, 

will have a $250 penalty and three points. 

The penalty could go up to a $500 fine with 

a suspension of the driver’s license. 

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports 

that there have been about 74,000 distracted 

driving crashes in Ohio since 2017, 

including more than 2,000 fatal and serious 

injury crashes. Traffic fatalities overall 

have increased in eight of nine years from 

2013 to 2021, with deaths reaching their 

highest point in nearly two decades in 2021 

with 1,355 fatalities. Preliminary traffic 

data from 2022 indicates that at least 

1,269 people were killed in traffic crashes 

last year. 

Grove City Police News 

radio, and electric fan in a cart and 

exited to a white four-door sedan 

without paying. The total value of 

the merchandise was $1,237.97. 



of Buckeye Pkwy. on a theft report. 

The victim stated three female suspects 

placed 95 items into baskets 

and left in a silver SUV without 

paying. The total value of the merchandise 

was $1,622.65. 



of Stringtown Rd. on a theft report. 

The victim stated two female white 

suspects broke into a cabinet and 

took 21 Google Nests. The suspects 

then left the area in a darkcolored 

van. The total loss of the 

merchandise was $3,799.99. 


“All Together Now” for the 

Summer Reading Challenge 

Southwest Public Libraries invites the 

community to a summer of fun and learning 

with its annual Summer Reading 

Challenge, launching June 3, and running 

through July 30. The challenge is open to 

all ages, infants through adults and features 

reading fun, live entertainment, and 

engaging programs all summer long. 

Enjoy a celebratory kickoff show from 

entertainer Mike Hemmelgarn on 

Tuesday, June 6, at 10:30 a.m. at Westland 

Area Library and 1:30 p.m. at Grove City 

Library. All performers and programs are 

free and open to the public. 

Summer Reading Challenge participants 

will be able to track their reading, 

attend library programs, and complete 

activities to earn prizes and raffle entries 

for gift cards and more. This year’s theme, 

“All Together Now,” promotes not just literacy 

but also kindness, friendship, and 

community. Participants may sign up 

beginning June 3 online at the library’s 

website swpl.org, in-person at the library, 

or through the READsquared app available 

in Google Play and The App Store. 

“Summer Reading Challenge is for the 

whole family,” said Brittany Harrison, 

youth services librarian at the Westland 

Area Library. “We want everyone to be 

involved. Summer reading is key in preventing 

summer slide for kids and ensuring 

that they go to the next grade prepared. 

It also helps keep adult brains 

active.” 

The research-backed “summer slide” 

refers to the tendency for children to lose 

significant learning gains over the summer 

if they do not participate in reading or 

other enrichment activities while on summer 

break. 

While excited children and teens make 

up the majority of challenge participants, 

the library’s adult challenge has been 

quickly growing in popularity with prizes 

and raffles of its own. 

“Our adult Summer Reading Challenge 

Enjoy music in the Town Center on 

Friday evenings as open-air concerts fill 

the warm summer air beginning Friday, 

May 26. The free Grove City Summer 

Sizzle concerts are sponsored by the Grove 

City Parks and Recreation Department 

and feature a variety of entertainment by 

some of the best acts in central Ohio. 

Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the 

performances in Town Center Park, 3359 

Park St., across from the Safety Complex. 

The concerts begin at 7 p.m. 

2023 Concert Series Schedule 

•May 26, Grove City Community Winds 

(patriotic marches and jazz) 

•June 2, The Usual Suspects (blues, 

Southern rock, Motown and jazz) 

•June 9, The Twylights (classic rock 

promotes adult literacy and offers interaction 

with the library and friends in so 

many fun and different ways,” says Grove 

City Adult Services Librarian, Emma 

Trudeau. “Not only can you earn prizes for 

reading, you are invited to join us for book 

discussions, DIY programs, crafting or 

game nights, and much more.” 

This year’s Summer Reading Challenge 

features two live performers and presenters 

for youth each week hosted on 

Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus a multitude 

of other library programs. Check out 

swpl.org for a full schedule of all presenters 

and events. 

Library Programs: The Highlights 

•Weekly storytimes, plus Storytime in 

the Park 

•Art, craft, and DIY programs for youth 

and adults 

•Weekly Take & Make kits for youth 

and adults 

•Sensory and STEM programs for 

youth 

•Game nights, retro video game nights, 

and movie nights for adults 

•Educational adult programs from OSU 

extension, The Bee Collective, and more 

•Free Job Search Assistance 

•Free Legal Advice Clinics 

Southwest Public Libraries serves over 

127 square miles in southwest Franklin 

county and surrounding areas through its 

two branches, Grove City Library and 

Westland Area Library. SPL seeks to serve 

as the community’s center for lifelong 

learning by connecting visitors with 

resources, technology, and programs to 

educate and inspire. The library system 

provides access to millions of items 

through a consortium partnership with 17 

central Ohio libraries and offers an array 

of free services to the community. 

Visit swpl.org for more information or 

connect with SPL on social media: 

Facebook @SPLFranklinCountyOH and 

Instagram @southwestpl. 

Summer Sizzle Concert Series 

and blues) 

•June 23, Ladies of Longford (contemporary 

Celtic, acoustic, pop) 

•Special Concert: Friday, June 30, 7- 

8:30p.m., Central Ohio Brass Band (patriotic 

marches and jazz) 

•July 7, Whiskey Would (classic rock 

and roll) 

•July 21, 50 Steps Up (Rock) 

•Aug. 4, Lee Gantt Band (country, rock 

and roll) 

•Aug. 18, The Conspiracy Band (R&B, 

rock and roll and jazz) 

•Sept. 1, These Guys Live (variety, 80s 

and up) 

For additional information, call the 

Grove City Parks and Recreation office at 

614-277-3050.


West High 50 year reunion 

West High School class of 1973 will host 

its 50 year reunion. Alumni are invited to 

tour West High School from 4 to 5:45 p.m. 

July 21 then meet at Bella’s Pizza from 6 to 

news and notes 


10 p.m. On Saturday, July 22, alumni will 

gather in the Hollywood Casino Ballroom 

from 6 to 11 p.m. The cost is $30 per person. 

For additional information, contact 

Wanda Estepp Ross at 614-570-9899. 

Hann Farm's Market 

Pictorial Past 

Miss Wisconsin visited Grove City? It is true. The year was 1949, and Howard “Sig” 

Sigman’s old Red and White grocery store was host to the beauty queen and former 

Grove City Mayor Paul White as they promoted Miss Wisconsin cheese products. 

Sigman’s old Red and White, Grove City’s first supermarket, sat on Broadway just 

south of Grove City in what was at that time, a big field. Many may even remember 

returning used cooking oil and fats to the store. Leanne Watkins, from the Grove City 

Welcome Center and Museum, provided the photo and information. 

4600 Lockbourne Road, Columbus, Ohio 

STORE HOURS: 

Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. 

hannfarmsmarket.com 

(614)-491-0812 

PICK YOUR OWN 

Monday-Saturday 

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

and 

Sunday 

12 p.m. - 4 p.m. 

Hann-Farm-Market-LLC 

TH HE 39TH ANNUAL 

DIREC FROM 

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Preparing students to be Chr ristian leaders 

who impact their world. 

Congratulations 

Class of 2023 

Grove City Christi ian School 

Lexi Allen . Caroline Baumgardner . Lucas Beal . Ayd dan Beard . Graham Bentley . 

Madison Bever . Chad Blunt . Sienna Brunica ardi . Justin Caldwell . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devon Davis . Lauren Davis . Kolton DeVine e . Annay Downing . 

Appoline Duhautois . Lauren Foster . Carter Free eman . Kaden Garringer . 

Quinn Garringer . Jacob Glovitch . Jaydin Haz zlett . Angeline Huertas . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony Neuhard . Brian Ott . Madeline Petry . Nath hanael Prindle . Jacob Rans . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Grove City Christian School is a ministry of 

the Grove City Church of the Nazarene and is accredited by the 

Association of Christian 

Schools International (ACSI) and Cognia. 

4750 Hoover Road • Grove City, Ohio 

43123 • 614-875-3000 • www.grovecitychristian.org

PAGE 10 10 -- GROVE CITY MESSENGER --June 11, 2023 


Bishop Ready High School 

Central Crossing High School 

Congratulations & 

1275 Demorest Road 

Columbus, Ohio 43204 

614-274-1444 

614-274-6018 Fax 

Class o 

Eric Snider 

Insurance Agency, Inc. 

4911 West Broad Street 

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Near I-270 & West Broad 

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Congratulations Class of 2023! 

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Congrats to all of this year’s h 

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Shawn Maghie 

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Vice President 

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Phone 274-1109 

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Congratulations Class of 2023 

George Buttrick 

Owner 

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June June 11, 11, 2023 2023 - GROVE - GROVE CITY CITY MESSENGER MESSENGER - PAGE - PAGE 11 11 

Grove City Christian High School 

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of 2023 

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Congratulations & Best Wishes 

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Best Wishes Class of 2023 

“IKE” STAGE 

Grove City Mayor


Volunteers sought 

at food pantry 

The Grove City Food Pantry is looking 

for volunteers. The pantry is located at 

2710 Columbus St. in Grove City. It serves 

news and notes 

SOCCER CAGES 

about 250 families each month in Grove 

City, Orient, Harrisburg and Galloway. 

Food donations are also needed. Those 

interested in volunteering for the Grove 

City Food Pantry or making a food or monetary 

donation can email 

managers@grovecityfoodpantry.org. 

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www.shiffletautocare.com 

Messenger photos by Dedra Cordle 

Touch-A-Truck in the Town Center 

The city of Grove City’s public service department hosted its second annual Touch- 

A-Truck event at Town Center Park on May 27. Established to bring awareness to 

National Public Works Week, children of all ages – including those who are still 

young at heart – were able to inspect and enjoy the vast array of vehicles the department 

uses over the course of the year to maintain the grounds and lands throughout 

the city. This front-end loader, which is primarily used to pick up and move heavy 

materials, proved to be one of the best spots for shade and a most excellent place 

for a photo shoot for infants like Hunter Houghton. 

City employee Brian Roth helps Paislee 

Hargis, 5, “pick up trash” on the road. 

Grant Utrup, 7, demonstrates the best 

way to navigate sharp turns in this John 

Deere utility vehicle. These gators that 

the city uses are primarily used to carry 

tools and travel down narrow alleys and 

pathways.

www.columbusmessenger.com June 11, 2023 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - PAGE 13 

Pets of the week 

These furry friends are available 

for adoption at local 

rescues and shelters 

Summer and her 

sister, Savanah, were 

rescued from a rural 

West Virginia shelter. 

Summer is still a 

young pup, born this 

past January. This 

Lab mix is super 

sweet and very loving. 

She is doing well 

learning potty training 

and basic commands. This sweet girl is up 

for adoption through Colony Cats and Dogs. 

FYI: colonycats.org 

Savanah is 

Summer’s littermate 

and is also a 5- 

month-old Lab mix. 

She is a sweet gal 

who loves to play and 

loves attention. She 

gets along well with 

cats, dogs, and children. 

Savanah is still 

learning basic commands 

and house training but she’s doing 

well. Both pups are spayed, microchipped, 

and up to date on vaccines. 


Pizza is a big, chunky 

boy with an even bigger 

heart. This 3- 

year-old has spent 

half of his life with 

Colony Cats waiting 

for a family to call his 

own. He may do best 

in a home without 

other cats and with 

older children as he can be spicy. Is Pizza the 

one you need to complete the space in your 

home and heart? If so, come meet him at the 

adoption center and see if he’s the right slice 

for you. 


Cole is an energetic, 

free-spirited boy who 

loves back scratches 

and sniffing his surroundings. 

This 5- 

year-old mixed breed 

is an inquisitive fellow 

who loves to follow 

his nose. Cole knows 

sit and shake, and 

has had positive 

experiences with 

other dogs. Adopt 

Cole from the Franklin County Animal Shelter. 

FYI: franklincountydogs.com 

3383 McDowell Rd. Grove City, Oh 43123 

614-277-0440 

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EPA steps in to help with water issues 

at Pleasant Twp. mobile home park 

By Hannah Poling 

Staff Writer 

The Pleasant Township trustees discussed 

water concerns at the Community 

Gardens Mobile Home Park at their May 

23 meeting. 

According to chairwoman Nancy 

Hunter, she is still receiving a lot of complaints 

about the living conditions in the 

community. Hunter said those complaints 

range from reports of brown water, to 

water with a strange odor, to no water at 

all. 

Residents have made numerous complaints 

to the management throughout the 

Columbus Air Show 

years regarding all sorts of water-related 

issues. According to the reports received by 

Hunter, these issues are still continuing 

despite previous attempts to find a resolution. 

Hunter said that she forwarded the 

complaints to the Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA), which has 

already reached out to the mobile home 

park with a bid to replace its water treatment 

system. 

The EPA told Hunter that Community 

Gardens had until May 29 to accept the bid 

to replace the treatment system. 

“At least the EPA is on it,” Hunter said. 


The Columbus Air Show Presented by 

Scotts will be held at Rickenbacker 

International Airport, 2241 John Circle 

Drive, Columbus, on June 16-18 from 9 

a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Performers and attractions at the air 

show include: the United States Navy Blue 

Angels; the United States Air Force F-22 

Raptor; Ohio Air National Guard; the 

United States Marine Corps C-130 “Fat 

Albert”; the B-17 “Yankee Lady from the 

Yankee Air Museum; an F-5 Tiger; the C- 

47 “Hairless Joe from the Yankee Air 

Museum; the B-25 “Rosie’s Reply” from the 

Yankee Air Museum; the P-51 Mustang 

“Old Crow” based in Central Ohio; and 

more. There will also be ground displays, 

air racing, exhibits, civilian superstars, 

vintage aircraft, and other experiences. 

All tickets and parking passes for the 

air show are available online at 

www.ColumbusAirShow.com. 

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ly did not realize the 

film originally had a 

“Part One” attached 

to the title. Those 

were really the only 

grumbles I heard 

about this animated 

feature and the 

analysis on the former is all I can really 

take issue with too because this film is fantastic 

in just about every way possible. 

Some of the main concerns I had going 

into the viewing for this sequel to the 

Academy Award winning “Into the Spider- 

Verse” (2018) was whether it could top — or 

even come close to — the greatness that was 

that movie. I know there is a lot of negativity 

about animated films and superhero 

movies in general, but that particular film 

is largely regarded as one of the most influential 

films in the past decade as it opened 

up the possibilities of the multiverse in theatrical 

comic book adaptations and it 

sparked a whole new visual style for other 

animated features. 

To be fair, the plot within “Into the 

Spider-Verse” wasn’t that original — it’s 

another origin story of the famed webwww.columbusmessenger.com 


In Entertainment 

Summer blockbuster season is off to a good start 

See BLOCKBUSTERS page 16 

DestinationOutlets.com 

800-213-9083 

8000 Factory Shops Blvd. 

Jeffersonville, OH 43128 

The Reel Deal 

Dedra Cordle 

The presence of children at a movie 

screening is not always an enjoyable experience 

for me — I find that they get up too 

often to use the bathroom, they seem to like 

the noise the straw makes as it sucks up 

the liquid dregs of their big gulps, and they 

prefer to use their outdoor voice to ask the 

random and related questions that pop into 

their minds — but I have to admit that some 

of the observations they have about the 

film can be spot-on. 

For instance, I went to see “The Little 

Mermaid” and “Spider-Man: Across the 

Spider-Verse” as a part of a summer blockbuster 

movie review mashup and came 

away completely impressed with the variety 

of comments they made about the aesthetics 

of the films and their complete 

befuddlement about plot threads, character 

development, and even the length of the 

run time. 

Based on my mental notes of their frequent 

commentary, I would say that the 

general consensus of the younger audience 

was that while they liked, and even loved, 

both movies, they saw that each film had 

its strengths and weaknesses. And as the 

most quasi-professional movie reviewer of 

the bunch, I would have to say that I cannot 

disagree with their overall assessment 

of these films. 

In the case of “The Little Mermaid,” the 

primary complaint that I heard from the 

children at my screening was that it was 

too dark to see some of the underwater 

scenes and that with a run time of two 

hours it was just too long. While I agree 

with the latter assessment — why are 

movies so lengthy now? — I have to push 

back on the former because it could have 

been so much worse. If you recall when the 

trailers first came out for this film, the 

lighting made everything look dark and 

dank, nothing at all like the original animated 

feature on which it is based. I don’t 

think anyone was expecting another 

“Avatar: The Way of Water” but a sharpening 

of the picture would have been more 

proficient. Thankfully, the lighting situation 

in the movie that mostly takes place 

under the sea was better than advertised 

though it was still devoid of vibrant flashes 

that are necessary for films like this to 

make a lasting impression, at least visually. 

My main complaint with this film is the 

issue that I have with almost all of the liveaction 

adaptations Disney has pulled from 

their classics vault: the unwillingness to 

deviate from the original and beloved material. 

Basically, director Rob Marshall and 

writer David Magee made a shot-for-shot 

and word-for-word remake of the 1989 animated 

film and just sprinkled in a few new 

above water scenes in order to add development 

to the human world that the title 

character so desperately yearns to be a part 

of. 

What saves this largely uninspired liveaction 

film is the inclusion of and the 

reprisal to most of the original music by 

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken and the 

casting of Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, 

and Melissa McCarthy, who play the little 

mermaid Ariel, her human love interest 

Prince Eric, and the chaos-loving sea witch 

Ursula, respectively. One of the best uses of 

the expanded run time is the additional 

focus on the growing connection between 

Ariel and Prince Eric so it starts to make a 

little more sense as to why she may be 

more willing to leave her family and fins 

behind to walk among the mere mortals in 

the human world. They have a sweet chemistry 

and it was a delight to watch them 

work together with these additional scenes. 

However, it would have been nice had there 

been more of a focus on Ursula/Vanessa 

because McCarthy was fantastic as the 

half-woman, half-octopus who loves nothing 

more than to stir up trouble and snatch 

up some poor, unfortunate souls while 

doing so. 

In the case of “Spider-Man: Across the 

Spider-Verse,” the primary complaint that 

I heard from the children in the audience 

was that there was too much going on — “It 

hurts my eyes,” said one - and that the 

ending left them feeling a bit angry. 

Actually, that was also a complaint from 

the adults in the theater as they apparent- 

DOWNLOAD OUR 

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Adam Miller 

STATE REPRESENTATIVE 

News from the 

Statehouse 

Ohio’s budget was passed out of The Ohio 

House of Representatives last week. It now 

heads to the Ohio Senate and, most likely, 

back to the House before it is approved by 

both chambers. The budget process 

avoided the headlines. After all, most members 

agreed on 75 percent of funding and 

debated the 25 percent that aligned with 

their political views. While the budget left a 

lot to be desired, the hard work escaping 

the current political headlines was a good 

thing. In the end, the House budget moves 

our state forward. 

You do not have to look very hard on the internet 

or social media to see that the political 

rhetoric has recently gone too far. I can 

only imagine what Jim Rhodes, Vern Riffe, 

Ronald Reagan, and Tip O’Neill would say if 

they were alive today. We have heard individuals 

claim that elected officials are possessed 

by demons and have seen others 

defend slavery, all while there were 

swastikas at local protests. These hateful 

voices may be loud, they do not represent 

how Ohioans feel. 

How do we combat these things and 

change the rhetoric moving forward? For 

one, we get involved. We work with one another 

by reaching out and helping those in 

need. According to Volunteermatch.com, 

there are more than 800 volunteer organizations 

in and around Galloway alone. From 

food banks to faith groups to sports and recovery 

support, we make the world better 

by engaging with one another. The Human 

Services Chamber of Franklin County has 

more than 160 members doing just that and 

they are always in need of more volunteers 

and members. 

As spring turns into summer, we have a 

choice in Central Ohio. Let’s choose to engage 

and help one another and focus on 

what unites us rather than what divides us. 

Go to events like the Bean Dinner, Summer- 

Jam West on the Hilltop, or the Celebrations 

at the Station in Hilliard. Or join one of those 

800 plus volunteer organizations. Let us rise 

above the rhetoric and make our community 

a better place for all of us. 

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ONLY $65.00 

Putting on a show to benefit a good cause 

Students from Hayes Intermediate School pose for a photo after their spring musical “Legally Blonde.” 

The performance ran last month. Donations were collected to benefit Jordan’s Crossing Resource Center 

on the city’s westside. 

Grove City Division of Police offers free gun locks 

BLOCKBUSTERS 


The Grove City Division of Police is participating in 

a nationwide free gun lock giveaway program to help 

protect families from unnecessary tragedy. 

Over the past decade, Project ChildSafe developed a 

comprehensive program for firearm owners to be safe 

and responsible – preventing accidents and keeping 

firearms out of the wrong hands. 

Free, cable-style gun locks and firearm safety information 

are available at the Grove City Safety 

Complex, 3360 Park St. The free gun lock giveaway is 

part of the national Project ChildSafe Initiative, 

ensuring safe and responsible firearm ownership and 

storage. Funding for the locks is provided by a grant 

from the U.S. Department of Justice. 

For more information, contact the division of police 

at 614-277-1710. 

slinger but this time placing the ground-breaking 

Miles Morales, a half-Black, half-Latino teenager, into 

the mask and spandex - but it was the visualization of 

telling the story through the perspective of a comic 

book come to life that made such a strong impact on 

the audience and even yours truly. 

Like all great sequels, “Across the Spider-Verse” 

builds on the tricks of its predecessor and continues 

with the multi-perspective structure of “Into the 

Spider-Verse.” While Miles (voiced by Shameik Moore) 

is still front and center as he tries to balance his life as 

a student with his life as a superhero, his story gives 

up some ground to Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), the 

Spider-Woman of a parallel Earth whom he met in the 

2018 film. 

The loneliness that they feel and their desperation 

to recapture the feeling of not being the only webslinger 

in their world is what leads them to the “Spider 

Society,” an interdimensional squad of Spider-Beings 

who are tasked with stopping anomalies from bleeding 

into other universes. It is led by the humorless Miguel 

O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) who considers Miles to be one of 

those anomalies since he technically should never 

have been “chosen” to be a Spider-Man. 

This push-and-pull between the two heroes is a primary 

plot point but not the only one. The secondary 

one, which is sure to be expanded upon in the third 

installment out next year, is the introduction of the villain 

Spot (Jason Schwartzman) who can access interdimensional 

portals through the markings on his body. 

What makes this such an intriguing thread is not that 

he blames Miles for his ailment due to the events of 

the previous film, but that it seemed he could have 

deviated from his planned multiverse villainy had 

Miles just been a touch kinder to him. 

“Across the Spider-Verse” is thematically darker 

than its predecessor but it still has a lot of the heart 

found within the first installment and the visual style 

continues to be unrivaled. The thousand-plus animators 

deserve all the credit in the world for their use of 

the color and design toward making each Spider-Being 

and their respective world unique. It is quite breathtaking 

to see on the big screen, but it sometimes makes 

for a “too much going on” feeling, therefore diminishing 

the congruent story that is taking place. 

All in all, I would say that the summer movie blockbuster 

season has gotten off to a good start and that 

parents should consider making a trip to see one, if not 

both, of these films a priority for their children and 

maybe even themselves. Although these films are 

lengthy, I think they can spark some great dialogue 

and open up new imaginary worlds to people of all 

ages. 

The Little Mermaid: B- 

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: A- 

Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff writer and 

columnist.

www.columbusmessenger.com June 11, 2023 - GROVE CITY MESSENGER - PAGE 17 



Outdoor Movie Series 

The Grove City Community Outdoor 

Movie Nights return in June, providing 

free, family-friendly fun to Wednesday 

evenings. These outdoor movies, presented 

in partnership with the city of Grove City 

and The Naz Church, are shown at 8 p.m. 

on a large screen behind the church, 4770 

Hoover Road. 

The 2023 Grove City Community 

Outdoor Movie Nights schedule: 

• June 21 - Family Camp 

• June 28 - The Lorax 

• July 5 - Coco 

• July 12 - Ghostbusters (original) 

• July 19 - Pirates of the Caribbean 

• July 26 - E.T. 

Watch these popular films from your 

car or pack lawn chairs or blankets and 

enjoy a movie under the stars, with family 

and friends. Each week features interactive, 

movie-themed activities at 7:30 p.m. 

Participants may bring snacks and beverages 

(no glass containers, please) or purchase 

refreshments at The Naz Cafe. This 

is a smoke- and alcohol-free event; pets 

(other than service dogs) are not permitted. 

Movies may be canceled due to adverse 

weather conditions including high winds. 

Weather-related cancellation information 

is available at the Grove City Parks and 

Recreation Facebook and Instagram pages 

or the Grove City Facebook and Twitter 

pages or call the weather hotline at 614- 

277-3060 the day of the event. 

club meetings 

Alzheimer’s support at Ashford 

The Ashford of Grove City Alzheimer’s 

support group meets the third Thursday of 

the month at 2 p.m. at 3197 Southwest 

Blvd. For more information, contact 

Bethany Watts at 614-582-4905 or 

bwatts@wallick.com. 

Historical Society 

Help preserve the history of Grove 

City, Urbancrest and Jackson, Pleasant. 

Prairie and Franklin townships. The 

Southwest Franklin County Historical 

Society meets the first Tuesday each 

month at 7 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran 

Church, 3220 Columbus St. 

southwest 


(Distribution: 9,000) 

Andrea Cordle...................................Grove City Editor 

southwest@ columbusmessenger.com 

Published every other Sunday by the 

The Columbus Messenger Co. 

3500 Sullivant Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43204 

(614) 272-5422 

The Columbus Messenger Co. reserves the right to edit, reject or cancel 

any advertisement or editorial copy at any time. The company is not 

responsible for checking accuracy of items submitted for publication. 

Errors in advertising copy must be called to the attention of the company 

after first insertion and prior to a second insertion of the same advertising 

copy.



Now Open in 

Grove City! 

Your NEW neighborhood Wright-Patt Credit 

Union Member Center is now open, featuring: 

• Convenient drive-thru services 

• Dialogue stations for side by side extraordinary 

personal service 

• Complimentary coin machine for members 

Stop by to open an account, meet with one of our 

friendly Financial Coaches and see how we can help 

you through your Financial Flexibility and Freedom ® 

journey to live the life you want to live. 

If you live or work in Grove City, we 

look forward to seeing you soon! 

We’ll Get There. Together. 


Member Center 

2404 Stringtown Road 

Grove City, OH 43123 

Claudia E., 

Member Since 2015 

TM 

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Grove City Messenger - June 11th, 2023

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