The Westerville News

New Fire Chief, Citizen Comments at Council, and Juneteenth

Gary Gardiner — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 10:31:12 GMT

Fire Chief Joshua Lester was sworn in during Tuesday night’s Westerville City Council meeting, thanking city leaders for the opportunity to serve the department and community.

“I am truly honored and humbled to stand before you after taking the oath as the fire chief for the Westerville Fire Department,” Lester said.

Lester thanked the City Council, City Manager Monica Dupee, and the city administration for their confidence in him. He said he understands the responsibility that comes with the position and pledged to approach the job with integrity, professionalism, and accountability.

He also recognized the firefighters, officers, civilian employees, and support personnel who make up the department, saying its reputation for excellence was built over decades by people committed to serving others.

“While I wear the badge of fire chief, the success of this fire department will always belong to the firefighters, officers, civilian staff and any other support personnel who answer the call and serve this community,” Lester said.

Lester joined the Westerville Division of Fire as deputy chief in March. Dupee told council he had already made a significant impact on the department and demonstrated a commitment to professional excellence and community safety.

In his remarks, Lester outlined several priorities, including firefighter health and safety, professional development, community risk reduction, operational readiness, and continued investment in training and equipment.

He said his leadership would be guided by service, honesty, consistency, and accountability.

“I believe leadership is rooted in service before self,” Lester said. “My first responsibility is to the men and women of this department, ensuring they are supported, trained, equipped and prepared to safely and effectively serve our community.”

Addressing Westerville residents and businesses, Lester promised that the department would continue to protect lives, preserve property, and serve with compassion and professionalism.

“The work ahead of us will not always be easy, but it will always be meaningful,” he said. “We will take care of our people, serve our community with pride and remain committed to the values that define the fire service.”

Lester closed by calling the appointment “the honor of a lifetime” and said he looked forward to helping build the department’s future.

Council unanimously confirmed Lester’s appointment before he took the oath of office. His tenure as chief takes effect June 22.

Concerns persist over 64 E. Walnut redevelopment process

Although a proposed apartment complex, restaurant and parking garage at 64 E. Walnut St. are no longer under consideration, residents continue to raise concerns about the city’s handling of the project.

Several people spoke during Tuesday’s citizen comment portion of the Westerville City Council meeting, criticizing the process that led to the proposal and calling for greater transparency and public involvement as the city considers the property’s future.

Matt Taylor, who lives on East Park Street, urged council to keep Westerville’s “City in a Park” identity in mind as it considers the future of the property. He said the rejected proposal leaned too heavily toward development and tax generation at the expense of open space and neighborhood character.

Taylor said parks and civic spaces have value beyond the revenue they may generate and argued that future plans should balance development with preservation.

“We’re not Dublin, we’re not Gahanna, we’re not anywhere else,” Taylor said. “We’re Westerville.”

Dan Vermeyer, speaking on behalf of property adjacent to 64 E. Walnut St., focused on trees, safety, traffic, investment and public process.

He called for preserving the mature trees on the property and said future development should not increase traffic on East Walnut Street or create additional safety concerns for nearby residents, children and schools. He also asked the city to address speeding in the area.

Vermeyer opposed demolishing what he described as a usable building and suggested alternatives such as a civic arts center, an innovation and business-incubator space or a year-round farmers market with food and coffee.

He also asked the city to offer a public tour of the property and hold a separate meeting with nearby property owners.

“Please continue to establish transparency, better communication and true bi-directional engagement,” Vermeyer said.

Mindy Nelson said she had planned to discuss trust but believed newly sworn-in Fire Chief Joshua Lester had addressed the subject effectively in his remarks earlier in the meeting.

Nelson instead focused on public participation, saying one open house may not be enough to hear from residents. She encouraged the city to hold at least one additional event, particularly because the Aug. 11 meeting will fall close to the start of the school year.

She also called for stronger publicity and suggested asking residents not only what they want at the site, but also what types of development they would consider unacceptable.

“There could be a really good consensus” about what residents do not want, Nelson said, pointing to concerns about traffic and safety.

Charles Taylor praised Lester’s remarks and said his message about trust and public service could be valuable for other city department leaders.

Turning to 64 E. Walnut St., Taylor asked the city to publish a summary of questions and answers from the planned open house so residents can see how their concerns were addressed.

He also urged staff to make presentation materials available before the Sept. 8 work session rather than only afterward. Taylor said the screens used during council meetings can be difficult to read, and residents should have time to review the material in advance.

Justin Wildermuth, who lives at 63 E. Walnut St., said he remained confused about how the earlier redevelopment proposal fit with Westerville’s own planning documents.

He cited city plans that call for employment-generating investment, startup and small-business space, preservation of Uptown’s historic character and context-sensitive development.

Wildermuth said those goals appeared more consistent with retaining the existing office building than replacing it with a denser project.

“It’s confusing because these needs seem to fit the existing office building exactly,” he said.

Wildermuth also questioned whether the city was treating residents’ objections as misunderstandings rather than legitimate disagreements.

“I’ve read the plans, and I still don’t understand,” he said. “I do understand that cities need money, but I do hope you hear us when we say this is not the way.”

Peter Maxwell criticized the city’s handling of the project and said many residents were attending council meetings because they did not believe the process had worked as it should.

He said council’s requested review did not address the full range of questions residents have raised. Maxwell told the council he submitted 18 questions at a previous open house but had not received complete responses.

He called for the city to compile all residents’ questions and provide thorough answers before determining the property’s next use.

“A summary of all of our questions and honest, accurate, thorough answers to them must be the first step,” Maxwell said.

During council comments later in the meeting, members said they were listening to residents and would consider changes to improve access to information.

Council Chair Crystal Zako said presentation text should be easier to read during the Sept. 8 work session. She also suggested providing paper and pens so residents can submit written comments during the meeting, as there will be no traditional citizen comment period.

Zako also asked staff to explore posting council agendas and links to meeting materials on the city’s social media accounts.

Vice Chair Kenneth Glasgow reminded residents that they can also speak with council members outside formal meetings, including at community events, farmers' markets, and informal council outreach sessions.

The city has scheduled two public meetings related to the property. An open house will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Westerville Community Center to gather public feedback about possible goals and priorities for the site. A City Council work session is scheduled for Sept. 8, when staff members are expected to present information about city plans, development priorities, the public review process, property valuation, possible uses of proceeds from a future sale and feedback collected at the August open house.

The city also plans to hire a third-party moderator for the August open house so staff members can focus on listening to residents and identifying areas of agreement.

Officials said the Aug. 11 open house will focus on collecting public input, while the Sept. 8 work session will provide a more detailed review of city plans, procedures and resident feedback before further decisions are made.

WeRISE plans Juneteenth weekend events across Westerville

WeRISE for Greater Westerville will celebrate Juneteenth with a two-day series of family, literary, and cultural events at three Westerville locations.

The Juneteenth Freedom Trail Celebration replaces the single community event WeRISE hosted in previous years and encourages participants to visit activities throughout the city.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, received word that they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The date became known as Juneteenth, Jubilee Day, and Emancipation Day.

Texas recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday in 1980. It became a federal holiday in 2021 following decades of advocacy, including the work of activist Opal Lee.

The Westerville celebration runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, June 19, at the Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St. Local author J.P. Mitchell will lead a children’s literature talk, with games, cotton candy, face painting and craft activities also planned.

A Poetry & Jazz program will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Birdie Books, 74 N. State St. People interested in presenting poetry or spoken word must register by Wednesday, June 17.

The weekend concludes from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at Family Room Coffee & Bake Shop, 545 S. Otterbein Ave. The program will feature family-friendly art activities and games.

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Utility Work Closes Vine Street Through Uptown Westerville - Lighting East of Africa

Gary Gardiner — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:31:43 GMT

Vine Street has become a construction corridor through Uptown Westerville, closed to through traffic between Park and Home streets as crews carry out two separate utility projects.

South of East College Avenue, workers are installing new sanitary sewer lines beneath the roadway. North of College, Columbia Gas crews are laying new natural gas lines.

The work has transformed the normally quiet two-lane street. Open trenches cut through the pavement, stacks of pipe line the curb, and excavators and construction trucks occupy much of the roadway. South of College, crews are lowering large sections of storm drain concrete pipe into an excavated trench. To the north, workers are preparing lengths of bright yellow natural gas line for installation.

Both crews are working against the calendar to complete the projects before Hanby and Emerson Elementary schools open Aug. 18, when normal traffic returns to the area. That deadline adds urgency to work already squeezing drivers, residents, and construction equipment into a tight Uptown corridor.

Barricades block through traffic at nearby intersections, forcing drivers to detour around the work zone. The closures also limit direct access to homes along Vine Street and may require residents to make alternative parking arrangements while crews work.

Traffic in the surrounding residential neighborhood is also affected as motorists seek alternate routes around Vine. Drivers should use nearby north-south streets and allow extra time when traveling through the area.

Traffic signal and walk sign poles are installed on the new roadway connecting East of Africa to Africa Road next to the Sharp House.

Traffic signals are connected to poles at the new intersection on Polaris Parkway at East of Africa.

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Beyond Helmets: The Real Question in the E-Bike Debate - An Editorial

Gary Gardiner — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:31:28 GMT

As cities struggle with the rapid growth of electric bicycles and other battery-powered vehicles, public officials are being asked how to regulate these devices. Too often, the answers begin with helmets, education, and parental responsibility.

Those issues matter. But they are not the central issue.

The real question is not whether electric transportation devices are good or bad, or even whether they are bicycles. It is how they fit into public spaces designed for people moving at human speed.

The city council is considering a proposed ordinance addressing electric transportation devices. It includes helmet requirements for riders under 18 and penalties for parents who knowingly allow minors to ride without helmets.

Few would oppose efforts to reduce injuries among young riders. If a helmet prevents a serious head injury, that is unquestionably beneficial.

But a helmet ordinance is not a transportation policy. It is an injury-reduction policy.

The distinction matters.

Helmet requirements address what happens after a crash. They do not address the conditions that contribute to crashes, near misses, or conflicts among riders, pedestrians, and other users of public space.

Sidewalks, park trails and shared-use paths are now places where pedestrians, joggers, traditional cyclists, mobility device users and electric vehicle users regularly interact. Those interactions involve speed, weight, acceleration, visibility, and enforcement. None of those issues are solved by a helmet.

Police Chief Murchland told council that the city’s focus is on “education and ensuring the safety of everybody.” That is a sensible objective.

Education can help riders understand the rules, encourage responsible behavior, and increase risk awareness. Council member Kelley Stocker raised practical questions about speed awareness, noting that not all riders have speedometers. Murchland responded that some devices, such as Class 3 e-bikes, require a speedometer, while riders of other devices can purchase one separately.

Those discussions are worthwhile, but education alone cannot solve a classification problem.

Nor should schools be expected to do so.

During the council discussion, some suggested that schools could help educate students about safe e-bike operation. Schools can support public awareness, but teachers already face substantial demands in meeting educational standards and curriculum requirements. Transportation policy belongs primarily to the institutions that regulate public space.

The city’s proposed ordinance introduces a new category, a Personal Transportation Device (PTD). At first glance, that seems like a logical response to rapidly changing technology. Traditional categories such as bicycle, scooter, and motor vehicle no longer neatly describe every device found on streets and trails.

But the proposed category is so broad that it risks creating a new problem.

A mobility scooter operated by a senior citizen at walking speed is fundamentally different from a high-performance electric bicycle capable of sustained travel at 28 mph. One provides mobility and independence for people with physical limitations. The other is a transportation vehicle capable of covering significant distances at speeds that can create conflicts with pedestrians and other trail users.

During council testimony, the police chief also referenced electric devices capable of reaching speeds approaching 50 mph. Whether those vehicles fit the technical definition of a Class 3 e-bike is not the most important point.

The important point is that machines operating at walking speed and machines capable of speeds approaching city traffic should not be treated as members of the same regulatory family.

The proposed PTD category acknowledges the changing nature of transportation technology. What it does not fully address is that public safety depends more on behavior than labels.

Pedestrians do not experience transportation devices as defined by law. They experience them in terms of speed, weight, acceleration, stopping distance, and the consequences of a collision.

A traditional bicycle moving 10 mph presents one set of risks. A heavier electric vehicle moving 28 mph presents another. A machine capable of even higher speeds presents yet another.

Public policy should reflect those differences.

The city should not classify vehicles primarily by appearance, marketing language, or whether a machine happens to have pedals attached. Policymakers should ask practical questions: How fast can the vehicle travel? How much does it weigh? Can it operate without pedaling? How quickly does it accelerate? Where is it intended to be used?

Those characteristics have a far greater impact on public safety than the device’s name.

The discussion also raises an enforcement problem.

Even carefully crafted classifications are meaningless if they cannot be enforced. The city does not maintain a dedicated park police force, and regular police officers already handle a broad range of responsibilities, many of which involve urgent public-safety concerns.

It is difficult to imagine officers devoting substantial time to monitoring trail use, helmet compliance, speed violations, and device classifications while also responding to more serious calls for service.

This challenge extends beyond e-bikes.

The city recently adopted regulations restricting park use to permit holders. Whether the issue involves permits, trail safety, or electric transportation devices, the same question remains: how will these rules be enforced?

An ordinance without a realistic enforcement strategy risks becoming little more than a statement of good intentions.

If city leaders believe parks and trails require greater oversight, Parks and Recreation should consider a more active role. Dedicated park rangers or park enforcement personnel could focus on trail safety, visitor education, permit compliance, and park regulations.

Such an approach would likely be more effective than expecting an already stretched police department to absorb yet another responsibility.

Ultimately, the debate over e-bikes and other electric transportation devices is not primarily about technology or helmets. It is about preserving the safety and character of public space.

The city’s goal should not be to discourage innovation. Electric transportation offers real benefits for commuters, older adults, and people with limited mobility. But those benefits should not prevent an honest discussion about where different types of vehicles belong and how they should interact with pedestrians.

A mobility scooter traveling at walking speed should not automatically be treated the same as a high-speed electric vehicle. A recreational trail should not be treated the same as a traffic lane. And a pedestrian should not have to guess whether the machine approaching from behind behaves like a bicycle or like a motorcycle.

The proposed ordinance is a useful beginning because it recognizes that transportation technology is changing. The next step is recognizing that behavior matters more than labels.

If public safety is truly the objective, regulations must be based on how vehicles operate, not what they are called. Speed, weight and behavior — not marketing labels — determine risk. Until policy reflects that reality, the city will be regulating names rather than solving the problem.

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At Asterisk, Meatloaf Tastes Like It Came From Home

Gary Gardiner — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:31:14 GMT

The Meatloaf That Surrendered To A Fork

The Blue Plate Special Special Kitchen Restaurant Review by Gary Gardiner
One in a series from The Taste of Westerville Restaurants

The first touch of the fork told me almost everything I needed to know.

The corner of the meatloaf broke away and crumbled onto the mashed potatoes. No knife required. The slice held its shape on the plate, but it gave way to the fork exactly as a good meatloaf should.

That small collapse was proof enough that this one had been mixed and shaped by hand. From a diner’s perspective, it was the kind of detail that inspires confidence before the first full bite. The meatloaf did not resist the fork. It yielded gently, the way comfort food should, suggesting that someone in the kitchen understood the difference between a loaf that merely holds together and one that remains tender.

There was satisfaction in that first forkful, along with a sense of the cook’s pride behind it. A chef who takes meatloaf seriously knows that its texture reveals everything: how much it was handled, how tightly it was packed, and whether it was allowed to stay moist. This one showed restraint and care. It arrived looking substantial, then softened at the touch, giving the diner exactly what the chef intended.

Before entering Asterisk in Uptown, I stopped to talk with owner Megan Ada, who had read my previous meatloaf review. She assured me I would be satisfied with her recipe, one she developed from the catering menu at Sunny Street, a restaurant she previously owned. She wanted something better suited to Asterisk’s customers.

She had reason to be confident.

The meatloaf looked as though it had come from Mom’s kitchen, where recipes are measured as much by memory as by spoons. Its browned top, moist center, and generous thickness suggested a dish made by someone who knew exactly how it should look before it reached the table.

Then the fork confirmed it.

With each touch, the meatloaf continued to fall apart into soft pieces. It remained firm enough to hold together as a slice yet tender enough to crumble without resistance. That balance is what makes meatloaf work. It should arrive intact, then surrender to the fork.

The edges had been crisped and lightly charred, adding a gentle crunch to certain bites. The darker crust gave the meatloaf contrast without drying it out. Inside, it stayed moist and tender.

The brown sugar gravy settled over the meat, adding sweetness to its savory flavor without overpowering the meatloaf. It deepened it.

The mashed potatoes had the texture of something made at home, thick enough to be lifted on a fork yet soft enough to melt in the mouth. They held their own under the gravy rather than dissolving into it.

The green beans kept enough flavor and texture to complete the plate. They were not simply something green placed beside the potatoes. They added freshness and a slight resistance to a meal built mostly around tenderness.

The best bite included a little of everything: a piece of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Together, they delivered what comfort food is supposed to offer: richness, softness, texture, and balance.

Asterisk is almost always busy, so reservations are suggested. I do not mind sitting at the bar, though, especially because it has an interesting history of its own.

I try to sit as close to the front as possible. The second chair from the door is the perfect spot.

To my right are the sounds of the restaurant: plates settling on tables, cutlery clinking against china, glasses tapping the bar, chairs shifting, laughter rising above the crowd, and the steady murmur of soft conversation. In a library.

The side facing the front window is almost silent. Little sound comes in from the street, not even the laughter of passersby hurrying toward someplace less peaceful than this Wild West bar tucked into the corner of a library that once housed the most popular grill in town.

Somewhere on one of the library's shelves are a couple of books I donated, along with a few simple card games. On one shelf sits my box of MCAT flashcards, ready for anyone who wants to test a partner’s medical knowledge between drinks.

When the meal was finished, or as finished as it could be without a yeast roll to clear away the remaining gravy and potatoes, a member of the staff told me that his first seven meals after starting at Asterisk had all been meatloaf.

The chef eventually chastised him, telling him that everything on the menu was good and that he needed to try the other dishes so he could discuss them with diners.

For the time being, he said, he was sticking with the meatloaf. As far as he was concerned, it was about as perfect a meal as he could get.

I understood.

When my plate was empty and I was asked whether I was satisfied, I said that if this had been dinner at home, I would already have cut a second slice and spooned more potatoes onto it.

I also would have set aside a slice or two for tomorrow’s meatloaf sandwich.

That may be the best compliment a restaurant meatloaf can receive.

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This Week in Westerville - June 15-21, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:53:41 GMT

Monday, June 15, 2026

• LEGO Bricks Challenge - 9 a.m. - Bricks & Minifigs Westerville, 654 N. State St.
• Family Storytime - 9:30–10 a.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Musicologie Junior - 11–11:45 a.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Pokémon Meetup - 2–3 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Arts Council of Westerville Meeting - 5:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library, Meeting Room C
• Beginner’s League - 5:30–8 p.m. - Westerville BMX, 535 Park Meadow Road
• ESOL Class - 5:30–7:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Library Human Resources Committee Meeting - 6–7 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Anime Club - 6:30–7:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

• Beaded Sunglasses - 3–4 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Still Life Drawing - 6–8 p.m. - Daylight Artist Collective, 9 E. College Ave.
• City Council Regular Meeting - 7 p.m. - Westerville City Hall
• Poetry Discussion and Open Mic - 7–8:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Read Between the Wines, Group 2 - 7–9 p.m. - BRU Burger Bar Westerville

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

• Bubble Party at the Park - 9:30–10 a.m. - Hanby Park
• Lunchbox Concert. Colin John - 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. - Java Central Café, 20 S. State St.
• SPARK 10th Anniversary Community Event - 3–7 p.m. - 187 W. Schrock Road
• Creative Workshop - 4:30–5:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Expressive Collage - 6:30–7:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Westerville Book Discussion Group - 7–9 p.m. - Westerville Public Library

Thursday, June 18, 2026

• 3D Game Design - 5–7 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Community Artists of Westerville Art Social - 6–8 p.m. - Family Room Coffee & Bake Shop, 545 S. Otterbein Ave.
• Westerville Industry and Commerce Corporation Meeting - 9:30–10:30 a.m. - Westerville Electric Division, 139 E. Broadway Ave.
• Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting - 6:30 p.m. - Westerville Community Center, 350 N. Cleveland Ave.
• Read Between the Wines, Group 1 - 6:30–8 p.m. - Good Vibes Winery, 2 S. State St.
• Mystery Authors. Michelle Cullen and Connie Berry - 7–8 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Lost in Yonkers - 7:30 p.m. - Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University

Friday, June 19, 2026

• Juneteenth. African American Literature with J.P. Mitchell - 1–4 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Wheelchair Basketball Open Gym - 6–8 p.m. - Westerville Community Center
• Juneteenth Jazz and Spoken Word - 6–8 p.m. - Birdie Books, 74 N. State St.
• Lost in Yonkers - 7:30 p.m. - Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University
• Frog Friday - 8 p.m. - City of Westerville

Saturday, June 20, 2026

• June Breakfast Fundraiser. Restore Our Historical Windows - 8:30–11 a.m. - Blendon Masonic Lodge No. 339, 130 S. State St.
• Westerville Saturday Farmers Market - 9 a.m.–noon - COhatch and North High Brewing parking lots, 240 S. State St.
• Alum Creek Field Trip with Dr. Michael Hoggarth - 9 a.m.–noon - Alum Creek Park North, 221 W. Main St.
• All Ages CPR and First Aid - 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. - Westerville Public Library, 126 S. State St.
• Juneteenth Family Art and Games - Noon–3 p.m. - Family Room Coffee & Bake Shop, 545 S. Otterbein Ave.
• Bee Keeping Seminar - 1 p.m. - Hoover Gardens & Gift Center, 182 N. Sunbury Road
• Lost in Yonkers - 2 p.m. - Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University
• Live Music. Rick Barr - 7–9:30 p.m. - Java Central Café, 20 S. State St.
• Lost in Yonkers - 7:30 p.m. - Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University

Sunday, June 21, 2026

• Father’s Day - All day - Westerville
• Digging It. Science Show - 2–3 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Lost in Yonkers - 2 p.m. - Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall, Otterbein University
• Sounds of Summer Concert Series. Lightning Express Everly Brothers Tribute - 6:30–8 p.m. - Alum Creek Park North Amphitheater, 221 W. Main St.

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Westerville Sports Roundup - June 14, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:53:26 GMT

Westerville Central High School Softball team. Photo from Westerville Schools.

Westerville Central closes spring season with state softball runner-up finish, track title

Westerville Central ended the spring sports season with a historic softball run and several standout performances at the OHSAA Division I state track and field championships.

The Warhawks softball team finished as the Division II state runner-up after losing 12-4 to Kings Mills Kings on June 7 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. Westerville Central completed the season with a 28-3 record, and the loss ended the team’s 21-game winning streak.

The Warhawks rallied to tie the championship game at 4 in the third inning. Jess Hickok walked, stole second, and scored, while Hannah Pullins singled and later crossed the plate. Christelle Crosier drove in Samantha Luke with a single, and Jane LeMasters added a game-tying RBI single.

Kings pulled away with seven runs in the sixth inning. Westerville Central committed four errors during the game, and Kings’ Leah Mitchener hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBIs.

“It’s always hard to end on a loss, but you try to look at the positive side,” Westerville Central coach Mike Fields said as part of a longer postgame statement. “You have to start somewhere, and it’s been a wonderful season.”

Westerville Central advanced to the championship game with a 7-0 semifinal victory over Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit on June 6. The appearance marked the program’s first state championship game and its first trip to the state tournament since 2019.

Crosier opened the semifinal scoring with her 10th home run of the season. The Warhawks then added five runs in the second inning.

Pitcher Elliott Long threw a complete-game shutout, recording nine strikeouts without allowing a walk.

Westerville Central also earned several top finishes at the Division I state track and field meet in Columbus.

Symone Smith won the girls’ discus championship with a throw of 137 feet. She also placed third in the shot put with a mark of 42 feet, 5 inches.

Skylar Brittman finished third in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.85 seconds. Those performances helped Westerville Central place ninth in the Division I girls team standings with 22 points.

With the spring season complete, Westerville teams will turn their attention to fall competition. Westerville North volleyball is scheduled to visit Hilliard Darby on Aug. 25 and host Lincoln on Aug. 31. Westerville Central football is scheduled to host Lincoln on Oct. 9.

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Westerville Obituaries - June 14, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:53:02 GMT

Donna G. Chambers
October 16, 1935 – May 31, 2026

Donna G. Chambers, 90, of Westerville, Ohio, died Sunday, May 31, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born in Kansas City, Kansas, to Samuel Cordill and Viola Snyder Cordill. She married Arthur M. Chambers on August 14, 1953, and they shared nearly 73 years of marriage.

After moving to Columbus in 1961, Donna began learning sign language through a church volunteer effort supporting children at the Ohio School for the Deaf. She became fluent with help from teachers and members of the local deaf community. Donna later worked for 33 years at Columbus State Community College as a teacher of deaf students and a sign language interpreter.

She enjoyed drives, coffee, cookies, Coca-Cola, crafting, painting, reading, and favorite meals from Fazoli’s and Skyline Chili. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family. She was a member of Grace Brethren Polaris and was known for her faith, kindness, generosity, helpful nature, and spirited personality.

Robert Joseph Mudd
April 30, 1929 – June 3, 2026

Robert Joseph “Bob” Mudd, 97, of Westerville, Ohio, died June 3, 2026. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Mike and Marie Klein Mudd, he graduated as valedictorian from Northeast Catholic High School and earned engineering degrees from the University of Louisville and University of Wisconsin, as well as an MBA from Ohio State University.

Bob served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and worked at the Ballistic Research Laboratory, supporting nuclear weapons testing in Nevada and the Pacific. He later built a career in electrical engineering before retiring in 1994.

Bob and his wife, Mary Ann Sinniger Mudd, were members of St. Paul Catholic Church for more than 60 years. He served the parish, volunteered as a math tutor, and was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus. An Eagle Scout, he enjoyed camping and traveling, eventually visiting all 50 states.

He was preceded in death by Mary Ann. He is survived by children Mary Beth, Joe, Eileen, and John, their spouses, and grandchildren David and Catherine.

Memorial donations may be made to Pontifical College Josephinum or the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

Curtis H. Tate
June 11, 2026

Curtis H. Tate, 86, of Westerville, Ohio, died June 11, 2026. He was a devoted father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. Curtis enjoyed spending time with his family, watching golf, and following NASCAR races.

His family remembers him as a great dad and a trusted friend. He deeply missed his wife and spoke often of his love for her. His family finds comfort in believing they are together again.

Curtis is survived by his children, Debbie, Kevin, and Scott; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.

Randall David Williams
September 12, 1985 – June 10, 2026

Randall David Williams, 40, of Ohio, died Wednesday, June 10, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born in Westerville and grew up in Mount Gilead and Cardington. A 2003 graduate of Lakewood High School, Randall earned an associate degree from the University of Northwestern Ohio. He worked alongside his brother, Evan, as a partner at Russ’s Auto Sales.

Known as a gearhead, Randall enjoyed truck and tractor pulls, motorsports, fireworks, and music. He especially treasured beach vacations with his wife and daughters.

Randall is survived by his wife, Amy Williams; daughters, Kamryn and Paisley; mother, Cheryl Cameron; brother, Evan Williams and his wife, Taylor; niece and nephews, Tripp, Tregg, and Tristyn; aunt, Carol Tolbert and her husband, Dave; cousins, Shawn Tolbert and his wife, Noelle, and Nick Tolbert and his husband, Greg; parents-in-law, Gary and Pam Kellison; brother-in-law, Benny Kellison; and extended family.

Calling hours will be Monday, June 15, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. until the 1:00 p.m. funeral service at Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service, Kirkersville Chapel. Burial will follow at Lutheran Reformed Cemetery in Thornville.

Philip Steven Pelok Sr.
April 23, 1942 – June 8, 2026

Philip Steven “Phil” Pelok Sr., 84, of Westerville, Ohio, died June 8, 2026, in Columbus, surrounded by his family. Born in Defiance, Ohio, he lived in Westerville for more than 50 years. Phil worked in sales and banking. He enjoyed coaching youth soccer, landscaping, fishing, cheering for the Ohio State Buckeyes, researching his Hungarian ancestry, and caring for the family’s Vizslas. He was known for his humor and the nicknames he gave family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and June Pelok, and brothers, David and Larry Pelok. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Sandra Pelok; children, Anne Sells and her husband, Brian, Philip Pelok Jr. and his wife, Bryn, Suzy Pelok, Troy Hamilton, and Chad Hamilton and his wife, Jessica; 10 grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and his Vizsla, Ruby.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, July 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church, 51 N. State St., Westerville.

Memorial donations may be made to the church.

Judy Jane Lindeman
February 6, 1938 – June 9, 2026

Judy Jane Lindeman, 88, of Westerville, Ohio, died June 9, 2026. She was born to Robert Curtis and Julia Mae Caraway Land and raised in Clarendon, Texas, with her sister, Patricia Underhill. Judy attended the University of Dallas as a member of its first freshman class in 1956, where she met Charles Lindeman. They raised five children in Irving, Texas, before moving to Westerville in 1971. Judy later worked in insurance.

She enjoyed sports and was a devoted supporter of her children and grandchildren. She was known for her kindness, humor, generosity, and love of family.

Judy is survived by daughters Jane Slanoc and her husband, John, Kathryn Perrine, and Julie Hanrahan and her husband, Brian; son-in-law Bruce Gallaher; daughter-in-law Dawn Lindeman; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister; daughter, Patti Gallaher; son, Bob Lindeman; grandson, Robert Perrine; and former husband, Charles Lindeman.

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Westerville's Neighboring Cities and Townships - June 7-13, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:52:39 GMT

Dublin

• J.T. Poston won the 2026 Memorial Tournament in a playoff at Muirfield Village Golf Club. The city recognized Poston’s victory while marking the tournament’s 50th anniversary and thanking organizers, partners, volunteers and participants.

• CBS Sports production assistant Bryce Adair died June 6 in a single-vehicle crash in Dublin while working at the Memorial Tournament.

• Dublin City Schools expanded its redistricting process to include elementary schools. New attendance boundaries are expected to take effect for the 2027-28 school year.

• Dublin’s Fleet Division was named among the “100 Best Fleets in the Americas.”

• Local companies competed June 11 and 12 in the Dublin Corporate Charity Cup.

• Dublin hosted a public watch party June 12 at Bridge Park for the United States-Paraguay FIFA World Cup match.

• Evan Menges qualified for the 2026 U.S. Junior Championship during a June 11 qualifier at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course.

• Wendy’s selected Amber Y. Luster as its first chief tasting officer following a nationwide contest. The $100,000 promotional position will involve creating exclusive content for the Dublin-based restaurant company.

• Former Dublin Jerome High School valedictorian and right-handed pitcher Brayden Krenzel committed to transfer to the University of Arkansas baseball program.

Gahanna

• Gahanna Lincoln High School alumni offered about 2,000 bricks salvaged from the demolished school in exchange for donations supporting district programs. Pickup dates were set for June 13 and July 11.

• Gahanna’s classic McDonald’s restaurant is slated for demolition and replacement with a modern building.

• The Gahanna Planning Commission met June 10 at City Hall.

• The Gahanna Market was held June 10 at Creekside Plaza.

Galena

• Galena resident Owen Heilmann competed in a 2026 U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Coldstream Country Club but did not advance.

Grove City

• Cava opened a new restaurant in Grove City in early June.

• Grove City property owners were able to review updated property values beginning June 9 on the Franklin County Auditor’s website as part of the county’s triennial property review.

• Camden Chaffin, a 15-year-old Grove City resident, has become a world-ranked professional pickleball player. He recently defeated the world’s No. 2 player at the Indoor National Championships.

• The 42nd Annual Ohio Guitar Show was held June 13 at the Grove City Community Center.

Groveport

• Groveport conducted mosquito spraying beginning at 8 p.m. June 10, weather permitting. Residents may contact the Public Service Department to request placement on the city’s no-spray list.

• Motts Military Museum founder Warren Motts reflected on his work as the official photographer for the American Freedom Train during the nation’s 1976 bicentennial and on the train’s role in celebrating American history.

Hilliard

• The Hilliard Development Corporation and The Westwood Collective plan to redevelop the former Chase bank property at 4056 E. Main St. in Downtown Hilliard. Preliminary plans include a sit-down Italian restaurant, ground-floor retail space, luxury apartments and additional parking.

• Hilliard City Council approved rezoning for Clover Meadows, a proposed 79-home Fischer Homes development. The project would conflict with provisions in draft Big Darby watershed regulations.

• The Environmental Sustainability Commission and Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee met June 10.

• Registration opened for the 2026 Hilliard Bradley Baseball Summer Youth Camp.

• Hilliard scheduled its Juneteenth Celebration for June 19 at Station Park.

Minerva Park

• Minerva Park Village Council held a regular meeting and a Committee as a Whole meeting June 11.

Obetz

• Obetz City Council met June 9, followed by a Planning and Zoning meeting June 10.

• Full Throttle Thursday was held June 11 at Fortress Obetz with live music and vendors.

• The Bombers Sevens Rugby Tournament, a Fight at the Fortress 7s qualifier, was held June 13 at Fortress Obetz.

Powell

• Be Aligned Health scheduled its Community Wellness Day for June 27 in Powell.

Reynoldsburg

• A juvenile was struck by a vehicle about 5:15 p.m. June 10 on Reynoldsburg-New Albany Road and was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in critical condition.

• Victoria’s Secret & Co. announced June 11 that shareholders had re-elected all nine of the company’s director nominees.

• Reynoldsburg held a city-supported Pride Celebration on June 13.

Sharon Township

• Sharon Township trustees met June 9 at the township hall.

• The Board of Zoning Appeals met June 10 to consider cases involving Northside Christian Church, Timothy Black and Samantha D’Amico.

Sunbury

• Jamier Brown, who transferred to Big Walnut High School, recorded a 100-meter time faster than the high school mark posted by former Ohio State football and track standout Ted Ginn Jr.

• Sunbury’s Services Committee reviewed possible changes to the city’s e-bike and micromobility regulations. Discussions included potential sidewalk restrictions for electric scooters and aligning local rules with Ohio law, but no formal action was taken.

West Jefferson

• West Jefferson-Kiousville Road between addresses 4625 and 4725 closed for one day June 9 for a culvert repair.

• The West Jefferson Lions Club announced its 2026 scholarship recipients.

• West Jefferson High School observed Alumni Week, including a “Health Matters” class reunion June 11.

Worthington

• Worthington Enterprises scheduled its fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings call for June 24.

• The Ohio Soybean Association, headquartered in Worthington, announced its first Conservation Award.

• CSX began track and railroad-crossing improvements in Franklin County on June 8.

• Worthington Steel was named a 2025 General Motors Supplier of the Year.

• Worthington Police Chief Steve Mylett announced he is stepping down to relocate to Issaquah, Washington. Mylett had led the department since December 2024.

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Jason Bechtold Resigns After Public Backlash Over 64 E. Walnut Redevelopment Plan

Gary Gardiner — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 10:31:30 GMT

Jason Bechtold speaks at a City Council economic development meeting in this September 7, 2024, file photo. City manager Monica Dupee is at right. Bechtold resigned as assistant city manager.

Westerville Assistant City Manager Jason Bechtold has resigned, ending a 17-year tenure with the city that included a central role in economic development and, most recently, involvement in the controversial 64 E. Walnut redevelopment proposal.

Bechtold submitted his resignation June 10 and will leave the city June 26, according to Community Affairs Director Hillary Bates. The city did not provide a reason for his departure.

“Jason has been a dedicated public servant and a true champion for our residents and business community alike,” Bates said in an emailed statement. “He leaves a lasting impact not just on Westerville, but across the entire Columbus regional development community.”

Questions sent to Bates about the circumstances of Bechtold’s departure went unanswered. Those questions included whether the city requested his resignation and who will assume his duties.

Bates also did not answer questions about Bechtold’s role in the proposed redevelopment of the city-owned property at 64 E. Walnut St., including whether he was the lead staff negotiator or public-facing city official for the project and when Continental Development Ventures first discussed the site with the city.

Bechtold’s resignation comes after City Council rejected a proposed sale agreement for the Walnut Street property, where a developer had proposed building a large mixed-use complex with apartments, a hotel, a restaurant and structured parking.

The proposal drew significant opposition from residents, who objected to the scale of the development, its potential effects on traffic, pedestrian safety and nearby neighborhoods, and the city’s public-input process.

City Council voted unanimously June 2 to reject the sale agreement, effectively halting the project in its announced form. The city later canceled a planned public open house and said no related legislation, proposal or agenda item would return until additional information was presented publicly.

Bechtold had been one of the city officials closely associated with the project before it became public. In a conversation several days before the announcement, he described the still-undisclosed plans as an exciting opportunity for the city but declined to provide details.

He has not appeared at related city events since the proposal was announced. The city has not said whether his resignation was connected to the project, its cancellation or the public response to it.

Bechtold joined Westerville in 2009 and was promoted to assistant city manager in 2021 after serving as the city’s economic development director. At the time of his promotion, the city credited him with helping guide Westerville’s economic-development strategy and said he would continue working on development issues while also overseeing several city departments.

His work included involvement in the development of Westar, the city’s major business district near Polaris Parkway, where Westerville used land acquisition, infrastructure investment and private partnerships to attract office, hotel and corporate headquarters projects.

Bechtold’s departure will end approximately 17 years with the city. Westerville has not announced who will take over his responsibilities or whether it will conduct a search for a permanent replacement.

City Manager Monica Dupee, right, gestures during a presentation at the city council’s Saturday economic development work session. From left are Planning and Development Director Dave Efland, City Engineer Nate Lang, and Assistant City Manager Jason Bechtold.

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Westerville Saturday Farmers Market String Beans Bring Grandma’s Porch Back To The Table

Gary Gardiner — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 10:31:24 GMT

The first green beans of the season arrived at the Westerville Saturday Farmers Market carrying the promise of dinner and the return of a place I had not visited in years.

The beans from Rhoad’s Farm were the old-fashioned string variety, the kind that must be snapped at the ends and stripped of their fibrous seams before they reach the pot. Looking at them, I understood why my grandmother’s hands were so strong.

There was a serenity to sitting beside her on a nearly cool, north-facing screened porch in Florida. It resembled an open-air greenhouse, with plants on the floor, arranged on tables and hanging from baskets. Small pots of cactuses, succulents and cuttings set aside for rooting lined the ledge beneath the front screen.

Grandma sat in a rocking chair, and I sat in a ladder-back Shaker chair with a leather seat. We listened to the drone of insects and the songs of their feathered predators.

Every now and then, a cow bellowed about something only cows understood. A fly might test the speed of Grandma’s hand. It usually lost.

A glass of water sat on the side table beside a bromeliad she had gathered from a tree at the edge of the pasture. Her apron stretched between her knees as she worked through whatever the garden had produced.

She strung green beans, shelled lima beans and opened white acre peas with movements that made the work appear easy. I tried to match her, hoping youth would give me quicker fingers.

It never did.

She would finish her apronful, then reach for handfuls from my pile or one of the other children’s. She was not showing off. Another task was waiting, and dinner would not delay itself.

Her hands snapped each bean cleanly, caught the string and pulled it away in one piece. Then she tossed the bean into a pot on the floor between us, where it landed with a sound I can still hear. She never missed. We children often did.

The discarded ends went into the chicken coop, where one meal became part of another. Bean ends fed chickens. Chickens produced eggs. The eggs returned to the table in breakfast, biscuits or her famous cinnamon rolls.

Seeing the beans at the market snapped all of that back into the next meal.

String beans demand patience. Newer varieties have largely been bred without the tough seam, allowing cooks to rinse them, trim the ends and put them into the pot. The only pleasure in those beans is the eating.

These required the full treatment. Each bean had to be handled, each end broken, each string found and pulled away. Miss one, and the bean reminded you at the table.

The work slowed the afternoon and restored the rhythm of that porch: snap, pull, toss. Snap, pull, toss.

Once prepared, the beans had a deep flavor and firm texture. They tasted fresh, green and unmistakably seasonal.

They also tasted earned.

The trip to the weekly market became a study in green anchored by string beans. Asparagus came home, too, along with broccoli bearing long stems and leaves worth saving. The asparagus needed little more than oil and heat. The broccoli stems were peeled, sliced and cooked with the florets and leaves.

But the beans remained at the center of the week.

Food gives life, but its greatest strength may be emotional. A taste, smell or familiar task can resurrect memories buried beneath years of ordinary living.

The best food memories are tied to the cook or the people gathered around the table. We remember more than taste. We remember where we sat, who was beside us and who prepared the meal.

I remember a porch facing north, a cow calling from the pasture and a fly foolish enough to challenge Grandma. I remember the creak of a rocking chair, the drone of insects and children fumbling with stubborn strings while she quietly finished everybody’s work.

She was preparing food, feeding a family and moving from one necessary task to the next. The strength in her hands came from repetition, necessity and years of doing what had to be done before anyone sat down to eat.

The beans from Rhoad’s Farm required only a small share of that labor, but enough to bring the porch, the pasture and my grandmother back to the table.

Some meals begin at the stove. This one began in a rocking chair.

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A Lost Link to Emerson Elementary’s Past

Gary Gardiner — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:30:46 GMT

For generations of students, Emerson Elementary School has stood as a familiar landmark on North Vine Street, its brick walls and front lawn holding more than a century of Westerville history.

But part of that history has lived not only in the building itself, but also in the trees that shaded its entrance.

A neighbor noticed Sunday that part of the damaged tree appeared to be leaning against the roof and called the city’s non-emergency number. The tree was removed later that day.

Another tree, an oak, still stands out front — a living connection to the school’s early 20th-century past and to one Westerville family’s memory.

Retired firefighter Tom Ullom, founder of the Westerville Firefighters Memorial, said his father once told him he helped plant the oak when he was a third-grade student at the school. His father, born in 1927, would have been about 8 years old at the time.

Ullom said his father did not make a grand announcement of the memory. Instead, when the subject came up naturally in conversation, he simply mentioned that he had helped plant the tree as a boy.

That recollection places the oak’s planting roughly in the mid-1930s, when Emerson was still closely tied to its earlier identity as the Vine Street School.

The school’s roots reach back to 1896, when the Vine Street School was dedicated as one of Westerville’s important public education buildings. Over the years, it served generations of students as the community grew and changed around it.

The building, later known as Emerson Elementary, became part of the daily rhythm of Westerville life: children arriving for class, families gathering for school events, and neighborhood residents passing beneath the trees that framed its entrance.

Now, with one longtime tree gone and the oak still standing, the front lawn offers a reminder that school history is not preserved only in records, photographs and plaques. Sometimes it is held in the memories of former students — and in the shade of a tree planted by a child nearly 90 years ago.

For Emerson Elementary, the surviving oak remains both a landmark and a witness, rooted in the same ground where generations of Westerville children began their education.

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Westerville’s Lake Shore Cryotronics acquired by DwyerOmega

Gary Gardiner — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:25:13 GMT

Westerville’s Cryotronics, a manufacturer of critical measurement and control systems, has been sold to DwyerOmega.

Lake Shore Cryotronics, a long-established Westerville scientific measurement company with roots in the city dating to the 1970s, has been acquired by DwyerOmega, a global precision measurement and control company backed by private equity firm Arcline Investment Management.

Founded in 1968 by brothers John and David Swartz, Lake Shore had been a family-owned private company before the sale. The company develops cryogenic temperature measurement, magnetics, material characterization, and cryostat technologies for research, advanced manufacturing, and other highly technical fields.

The acquisition marks a significant change in ownership for one of Westerville’s established advanced-technology employers. Lake Shore has operated in Westerville since 1978 and moved to its McCorkle Boulevard location in 1997. In 2023, the company announced a nearly $14 million expansion of its Westerville facility, including additional manufacturing and office space, as well as a new cleanroom for microelectronic development and sensor wafer fabrication. At the time, the company employed 174 people locally.

Lake Shore’s products include high-performance sensors, monitors, controllers and systems used by customers in quantum computing, aerospace, medical technology, semiconductors, fusion energy, research institutions and academia. The company also provides certified calibration and metrology-grade devices for applications where precise measurement and control are critical.

DwyerOmega said the acquisition strengthens its precision temperature measurement business in cryogenics while expanding its capabilities in magnetics and material characterization.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lake Shore to the DwyerOmega family,” Chuck Dubois, CEO of DwyerOmega, said in the announcement. “Lake Shore is at the leading edge of cryogenic temperature, magnetics, material characterization, and cryostat solutions. Its advanced, highly engineered portfolio will strengthen our technology offering, while expanding our market presence and ability to serve customers across a variety of attractive end markets.”

Lake Shore President and CEO Michael Swartz said joining DwyerOmega will expand the company’s reach.

“Joining DwyerOmega expands Lake Shore’s commercial reach, broadens our product offerings and supports continued technological advancements for customers worldwide,” Swartz said. “We are excited to partner with a team that shares our commitment to innovation, quality, and customer support.”

The announcement did not disclose any immediate changes to Lake Shore’s Westerville operations, workforce or leadership structure.

DwyerOmega is a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, a private equity firm that says it has more than $30 billion in assets under management and focuses on building industrial platforms by combining niche, mission-critical suppliers in resilient markets.

For DwyerOmega, Lake Shore adds specialized scientific instrumentation in cryogenic temperature control, magnetic measurement, materials analysis and cryostats. For Lake Shore, the sale places a Westerville-grown scientific measurement company inside a larger global measurement-and-control platform.

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Does White Count? Whit’s Sign Wins Approval After Uptown Color Debate

Gary Gardiner — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:31:15 GMT

Editor’s Note: Today’s Westerville News is a two-part report on the Uptown Review Board. The first part details the travails Whit’s Frozen Custard owner Joe Schertzinger faced in getting approval for a sandwich board in front of his shop. The second part explains the duties of the Uptown Review Board and why a sign's colors are important.

Westerville panel spends nearly 40 minutes considering interchangeable magnets before settling on a seven-color limit

How many colors are in a penguin?

That became a question of municipal interpretation on June 4 as the Westerville Uptown Review Board considered whether Whit’s Frozen Custard could place a sandwich board outside its shop at 46 N. State St.

After nearly 40 minutes, a failed motion, a 3-3 vote, and a vote to reconsider, the board approved the sign with a limit of seven colors. White would not count.

The board reviews signs and other exterior changes in Westerville’s historic Uptown district. The written guidelines recommend that sandwich boards contain no more than four colors and avoid moving or interchangeable parts.

Whit’s proposed a portable black metal sign with interchangeable magnetic panels showing the shop’s weekly and daily custard flavors.

The frame, dimensions and general design met the city’s recommendations. The dispute centered on the magnets.

City staff were willing to accept them because they had a finished appearance and did not resemble temporary paper inserts. Staff recommended, however, that the magnets use the same background color, font style, and size.

That condition would have prevented owner Joe Schertzinger from using many of the flavor magnets he already had.

“They’re different colors,” Schertzinger told the board. “It just depends on what we’re running that week as weekly and daily flavor.”

A Buckeye magnet could add red. Black raspberry could add purple. A banana flavor could add yellow. An affogato panel included the colors of the Italian flag.

Then came the penguin.

“Does staff consider black and white to be colors?” the board chairman asked.

The answer depended on context. Black lettering probably would count, staff said. White probably would not. The sign’s black metal frame would not.

Schertzinger described a possible white magnet with black lettering and a small penguin containing black and red details.

“I mean, I don’t know,” he said. “It’s up to you guys.”

City planner Jeff Buehler repeatedly reminded the board that the four-color standard was a guideline rather than an absolute provision of city code.

When the chairman said “the wording of the guideline is the wording of the guideline,” Buehler added, “And they are guidelines.”

Buehler also said approval would not bind the board to allow the same number of colors on every future sandwich board. Each application could be judged by its design, location, and surroundings.

Schertzinger said the sign would be placed outside when the store opened and taken inside each night. Its purpose, he said, was to tell people walking through Uptown which flavors were available.

He also expressed frustration with the approval process.

Whit’s received approval for a chalkboard-style sign in 2015. After it broke, it was replaced without board approval. Schertzinger said he inherited that replacement when he bought the store in 2022 and did not know it had not been approved.

The board later allowed him to use it temporarily while requiring a replacement. Schertzinger said he bought additional flavor magnets before learning they might not comply with the guidelines.

“If you don’t want me to have it out there, then I’m not going to put it out anymore,” he said. “I’m just tired of dealing with it, to be honest.”

Board members generally agreed that the proposed sign looked clean and professionally made. Some said it appeared better than chalkboard or dry-erase signs with handwritten messages.

“If you didn’t know those are magnets, you wouldn’t necessarily assume that it is a changeable copy,” Buehler said.

Schertzinger also questioned whether the city applied its standards consistently. He pointed to other multicolored sandwich boards in Uptown, while a board member asked whether businesses with chalkboard signs were monitored to ensure they used no more than four chalk colors.

Staff said they were not.

The discussion also touched on seasonal paintings on the windows of Uptown storefronts. Buehler said the paintings could technically qualify as signs under the city’s broad definition, though most had not been reviewed by the board.

“I’ll just paint them on the windows every week,” Schertzinger said before quickly adding that he was joking.

The board’s first attempt at a motion broke down when members and staff described its effect differently. It died for lack of a second.

“Let’s start over,” Buehler said.

“Good plan,” someone responded.

A second motion would have approved the sign while allowing more than four colors. It failed on a 3-3 vote with one member absent.

Buehler then explained that a member who voted against the motion could ask the board to reconsider. A motion to reconsider was made and approved.

The board had voted to hold another vote.

Members then searched for a color limit they could accept. Seven was proposed because of the number of colors commonly associated with a rainbow. Other suggestions included eight and 10.

Schertzinger said he had 40 or 50 magnets and could not list every possible color combination. The company selects the weekly flavor, he said, while the Westerville shop chooses a daily flavor based on what customers might enjoy—not which magnets use the fewest colors.

The board ultimately settled on seven colors, excluding white, and approved the sign.

Whit’s can now use it to tell passersby which flavors of frozen custard are inside.

Why Uptown Has A Review Board

Historic districts are built on a tradeoff.

A community decides that certain buildings, streets, and storefronts are worth protecting because they give a place its identity. In return, property owners and businesses accept an extra layer of review when they want to change what the public sees from the sidewalk.

That is the role of Westerville’s Uptown Review Board.

Ohio History Connection, which includes the State Historic Preservation Office, says the most effective local preservation ordinances create a design review board or commission and allow communities to designate local historic districts and individual landmarks. Such ordinances typically explain why the board exists, how members are appointed, what responsibilities they have, and how proposed work in historic areas will be reviewed.

The agency also says that design guidelines should explain why a commission exists, what it does, how to submit an application, and how the review process works.

In Westerville, the Uptown Review Board reviews signs, exterior remodeling, new construction, demolition, landscaping and other visible changes within the city’s Architectural Review District. Its purpose is preservation. It is meant to keep one storefront, one sign, or one renovation from gradually weakening the historic character of Uptown.

Uptown Westerville Inc. Executive Director Lynn Aventino said the board plays an important role in protecting the business district's character and authenticity.

“The details matter because the district matters,” Aventino said.

Aventino said a sign, awning, window or facade improvement may seem small by itself, but those decisions collectively shape Uptown’s character, identity and sense of place. She said the board helps balance preservation with support for the businesses that invest in the district and bring it to life each day.

“In a successful historic district, preservation and economic vitality go hand in hand,” Aventino said.

Aventino also noted that Uptown Westerville Inc. successfully nominated the Uptown commercial district to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. National Register recognition identifies a district’s historic significance, she said, but local historic district regulations, administered by a review board, are what help protect and preserve the district’s character over time.

That can work well when the issue is large and clear: a building addition, a demolition request, a new facade, a wall sign, a mural, or a major exterior change.

A recent case before the board involved an illuminated sign in a restaurant’s window. The sign was approved after the owner confirmed it was not neon or flashing, both of which are not allowed in the historic district.

It can become harder to explain when the same system is applied to smaller details of everyday commerce.

A sandwich board outside an ice cream shop may seem minor to a customer walking by. To a review board, it is still a sign in a protected district. Its size, materials, colors, lettering, placement and changeable parts can all matter because each approval becomes part of the district’s visual pattern.

That is where preservation boards can produce results that confuse or irritate the public.

A board might spend 40 minutes discussing a sign that a customer sees for only five seconds. It may debate colors, fonts, or materials that seem trivial outside the meeting room. It may ask a business owner to replace something that appears harmless because the rules were designed to prevent many small exceptions from adding up over time.

The public often sees the individual case.

The board is expected to see the accumulated effect.

That does not mean every decision is straightforward, or that every rule applies neatly to every circumstance. Historical review often relies on judgment. Guidelines are designed to inform decisions, but they also require interpretation. The same flexibility that allows a board to approve a reasonable exception can also make the process seem uncertain.

The Whit’s case showed both sides of that system.

The board was not deciding whether frozen custard belongs in Uptown. It was deciding whether a portable sign with interchangeable flavor magnets still looked permanent, orderly, and compatible with the district.

The answer took nearly 40 minutes, a failed motion, a tied vote, a motion to reconsider, and a final decision that white would not count as one of seven allowed colors.

That is the peculiar work of preservation at street level.

It protects the look of a historic district one detail at a time, even when the detail is a penguin on a frozen custard sign.

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Kimberly Sharp Named Marysville City Manager

Gary Gardiner — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 22:01:12 GMT

Kimberly Sharp has been named Marysville’s next city manager, bringing a background in planning, development and regional growth strategy to the city’s top administrative post.

Sharp was one of four finalists for the position, along with Robert Hillard, Jeremy Hoyt and Larry Lester. The search followed the planned retirement of longtime City Manager Terry Emery at the end of June.

Sharp is the owner of Sharp Point LLC and previously served as senior director of development for the Central Ohio Transit Authority, where she worked on regional planning efforts including LinkUS.

Her résumé also includes planning and development leadership in Westerville, Ohio, as well as earlier planning and redevelopment work in Flagstaff, Arizona. She began her career in architecture, including work as a project manager with Glave & Holmes Architects in Richmond, Virginia.

The appointment gives Marysville a city manager with deep experience in land use, development, transportation planning and public-private coordination at a time when the city continues to manage rapid growth and infrastructure demands.

Sharp will succeed Emery as Marysville’s chief administrative officer.

The appointment was first announced in Marysville Matters.

Westerville News Briefs - June 10, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:58:28 GMT

DHL: AI and resale are reshaping e-commerce

DHL released its E-Commerce Trends Report 2026, based on research involving 29,000 shoppers and 5,800 businesses across 29 countries.

Nearly one-third of shoppers said they would be open to allowing artificial intelligence to make purchasing decisions for them within five years. The figure rose to 36% among millennials and 33% among Generation Z.

Businesses are also preparing for AI-mediated commerce. DHL reported that 59% expect consumers eventually to browse and purchase products through virtual assistants, while 73% plan to increase their use of generative AI over the next five years. Privacy and trust remain obstacles, with 48% of consumers expressing concerns.

The report also found that consumer-to-consumer commerce is becoming mainstream. Fifty-two percent of surveyed consumers said they had sold an item through an online marketplace, including 62% of millennials and 58% of Gen Z respondents.

Traditional checkout and delivery issues remain significant. Sixty-two percent of shoppers said they would abandon a transaction if their preferred payment method were unavailable. Consumers also continued to emphasize delivery-provider choice, faster shipping, free returns, and out-of-home options such as lockers and pickup points.

Why it matters: DHL’s findings suggest that retailers will need to prepare for AI assistants acting on behalf of customers while continuing to improve basic checkout, delivery and returns operations. The growth of secondhand marketplaces will also increase demand for logistics services designed for individual sellers.

Vertiv declares a quarterly dividend

Vertiv Holdings Co. declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.0625 per share of Class A common stock.

The dividend is payable June 25, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business June 15, 2026.

At the same quarterly rate, the payment would equal 25 cents per share on an annualized basis, although future dividends remain subject to board approval.

Vertiv expands fluid-management services

Vertiv introduced PurgeRite NearZero, a service designed to reduce water consumption and wastewater during the commissioning of closed-loop hydronic systems in data centers.

The service combines mechanical flushing, water recycling, and continuous monitoring. Hydronic systems must be cleaned before operation to remove construction debris, oils, sediment, and other contaminants that could impair cooling performance.

Vertiv said selected deployments reduced total water consumption by as much as 78%, water hauled from sites by as much as 91%, and discharge management costs by as much as 34% compared with conventional practices. Results will vary by project.

Why it matters: As AI computing increases data-center heat loads, liquid cooling is becoming more common. That shift creates additional demand for specialized services that prepare cooling networks for operation while limiting water use and disposal requirements.

Vertiv links SmartRun digital twin to NVIDIA’s AI-factory platform

Vertiv announced a production-grade integration of its SmartRun digital twin with the NVIDIA Omniverse DSX Blueprint, a platform for designing and simulating AI factories.

The integration is intended to model power, cooling, controls, and deployment requirements in a shared virtual environment before physical construction. Vertiv said the system could help engineers identify conflicts earlier, preserve design intent and reduce late-stage changes.

The project was developed with model-based systems-engineering technology from Dassault Systèmes.

Why it matters: AI facilities require tightly coordinated power and cooling infrastructure. Digital twins can help operators test changes virtually as computing hardware grows denser and more power-intensive.

DHL plans €160 million investment in France

DHL Group said it would invest approximately €160 million in France during 2026 and 2027, bringing its total investment in the country from 2018 through 2027 to nearly €900 million.

The program includes logistics capacity expansion, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, solar installations, sustainable aviation fuel, and other lower-emission initiatives.

DHL Supply Chain plans additional warehouse capacity around southern Paris, Orléans, and Lyon. The expansion will support third-party logistics services for life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and e-commerce customers.

The company also plans to strengthen fourth-party logistics capabilities through a control tower in Toulouse.

Lake Shore Cryotronics prepares for the International Microwave Symposium

Lake Shore Cryotronics announced plans to exhibit at the 2026 International Microwave Symposium in Boston, where it will showcase cryogenic equipment at Booth 18032.

The featured systems include the TTPX cryogenic probe station and the CCS-100 optical cryostat.

The TTPX supports low-temperature electrical and microwave testing of materials and devices. The CCS-100 provides closed-cycle optical cryogenic operation without liquid helium and can be configured for microwave-device and early-stage quantum-device research.

Lake Shore also planned to discuss temperature sensors, controllers, magnetic-measurement instruments, and its Infinite Helium recirculating gas-cooling system.

OrthoSC announces Pawleys Island expansion

OrthoSC, an orthopedic practice affiliated with Orthopedic ONE, announced an expansion in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

The planned location is expected to consolidate physician clinics, orthopedic urgent care, physical therapy, imaging, and durable medical equipment.

The available announcement did not specify an opening date, project cost, street address, or staffing level.

Why it matters: Combining orthopedic services in one location can reduce the number of separate visits required for diagnosis, imaging, treatment, rehabilitation, and equipment fitting.

Attribution note: The update was posted by OrthoSC through Instagram rather than issued as a formal Orthopedic ONE press release.

Cheryl’s Cookies launches “dot cookies.”

Cheryl’s Cookies introduced a new product line, “dot cookies,” via an Instagram Reel.

Publicly accessible information did not establish the available flavors, package sizes, prices, distribution channels, or whether the line is permanent or seasonal.

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Heritage White Oak Removed After Storm

Gary Gardiner — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:30:36 GMT

Westerville removes fallen ‘Codger’ oak as readers help identify early caretaker

The city placed the largest sections of the centuries-old white oak in storage for possible future use. Smaller pieces will be available to residents beginning Thursday.

The remains of Westerville’s oldest known tree were removed from Otterbein Cemetery on Tuesday, while new research may have identified the tree surgeon whose name was found inside its trunk.

Crews from the city’s electric division spent the day cutting apart the massive white oak, known to some residents as “Codger,” after storm winds brought it down.

The largest sections were loaded onto hauling equipment and taken to the city service department, where they will remain while officials consider whether the wood can be preserved for a memorial, artwork, or another public use.

Smaller pieces were left at the cemetery for residents.

The city said hand-sized pieces will be available at Otterbein Cemetery, 175 S. Knox St., from Thursday, June 11, through Thursday, June 18. Quantities are limited, and no city employee will be present to distribute the wood or help with loading.

City Arborist Adam Williams previously said officials wanted residents to have access to pieces of the tree without trying to move dangerously large logs.

“We just don’t want to encourage people to go in there and try to break their back getting a big log in the back of their truck,” Williams said.

Tuesday’s work exposed cavities, decay and irregular growth inside the trunk. It also provided a closer look at a concrete repair that had been hidden inside the tree for decades.

Scratched into the concrete was a name and address:

“Thomas Seymour, 158 East Goodale St., Columbus, Ohio.”

Readers of The Westerville News began searching historical records after the inscription was reported.

Mary Price of Westerville found a death certificate for a Thomas Seymour who was born in Chillicothe and died in Columbus in 1949. His occupation was listed as “tree surgeon.”

“I am assuming this is the same Mr. Seymour,” Price wrote.

Kermit Lancaster found federal census records for a Thomas G. Seymour who lived in Columbus and worked in landscaping and tree surgery during the early 20th century.

The records do not establish conclusively that he was the man whose name appears in the concrete. They do, however, identify a Columbus tree surgeon with the same name who worked during the period when filling tree cavities with concrete was a common repair practice.

One census record also lists Seymour on Goodale Street in 1910, but at a different house number than the address written on the tree.

The inscription would document an effort to preserve the oak decades before it was formally recognized as a Westerville Heritage Tree.

Lori Bailey Sorth also shared research on Facebook tracing Seymour through census and military records. She found a Thomas Seymour, born in 1876, listed as a laborer living on Goodale Street in 1910. By 1917, his draft registration listed him on High Street and working independently as a forester.

The 1920 census continued to place him on High Street and described his occupation as “surgical” in the landscaping industry. By 1930, he was listed as a tree surgeon living on Fourth Street. Sorth said Seymour died in 1949 and was buried at Union Cemetery.

Her findings add to the evidence that the name in the concrete belonged to a Columbus-area tree professional, though the connection has not been conclusively established.

A tree older than the cemetery

A plaque at the site identifies the oak as a Heritage Tree and says the Westerville Heritage Tree Project named it a Grand Champion in 1992. The plaque lists 1674 as its estimated planting year, while other accounts place its age closer to 400 years.

The exposed growth rings suggest the tree was at least 300 years old and may have approached 400. An exact count is difficult because parts of the trunk had decayed and several stems appear to have merged as the tree matured. A formal dendrochronology study would be needed to verify its age.

“They say it’s about 400 years old,” City Arborist Adam Williams said previously. “We’ll be able to confirm that once we start to get cross sections of it.”

Even at the lower estimate, the oak was already more than a century old when Otterbein Cemetery was established in 1856. A 1992 description listed it at about 114 inches in circumference and 106 feet tall.

Williams, who has worked for the city for 24 years, said the oak had defined the cemetery landscape throughout his career.

“It’s been here as long as I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s a big loss for us, for sure.”

Damaged gravestone beneath the fallen tree.

Gravestones damaged

The falling tree damaged gravestones in the cemetery, and crews worked Tuesday among toppled and displaced markers.

The city has not released the names associated with the damaged stones, the extent of the damage, or a timetable for repairs.

Officials also have not announced what will become of the largest sections of the tree. Their condition, including cracking and decay, will help determine whether they can be dried and preserved.

Residents Lois Szudy and Candy Canzoneri previously said they hoped the city would hold what Szudy called a “celebration of life” for the oak.

For now, the largest pieces remain in city storage, while smaller sections are being offered to residents.

The tree no longer stands over Otterbein Cemetery, but parts of it may remain in Westerville for years to come.

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City's Oldest Tree Falls During Storm

Gary Gardiner — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:31:37 GMT

Westerville’s centuries-old “Codger” oak falls, revealing an old repair and new stories

The heritage white oak in Otterbein Cemetery was brought down by storm winds. Residents may collect small pieces of the tree while the city considers ways to preserve its legacy.

A white oak that stood in Westerville for centuries, surviving the city's creation and the…

This Meatloaf Needed a Knife, and That Was the First Problem

Gary Gardiner — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:31:19 GMT

When Comfort Food Forgets The Comfort

The Blue Plate Special Special Kitchen Restaurant Review by Gary Gardiner
One in a series from The Taste of Westerville Restaurants

This Week in Westerville - June 8-14, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:06:43 GMT

Monday, June 8, 2026

• Family Storytime - 9:30–10 a.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Gymboree on the Go! - 11–11:30 a.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Horse Barn Tour - 2–3:30 p.m. - Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science
• Downsizing a Home - 3–4 p.m. - Westerville Public Library
• Board of Education Meeting - 6–8 p.m. - Early Learning Center, 936 E…

Westerville Obituaries - June 7, 2026

Gary Gardiner — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:05:26 GMT

James Michael Goebeler Sr.
July 15, 1957 – May 25, 2026

James Michael Goebeler Sr., 68, of Westerville, Ohio, died May 25, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born July 15, 1957, in Teaneck, New Jersey, to Edward and Shirley Goebeler. Jim graduated from Northern Valley Regional High School in Bergen County, New Jersey, where he met Sandra, the love of …