🌱Mural Celebrates Black History Month + Making Safety Changes

Hi all. It's me, Karena Garrity, your host of the Avon-Avon Lake Patch newsletter — here to tell you everything you need to know about what's happening in town. In today's issue, you'll find:

• Celebrate Black History Month!
• Make safety changes!
• Everyday heroes save a life!

But first, today's weather:

Increasingly windy. High: 39 Low: 35.

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Here are the top three stories in Avon-Avon Lake today:

1. In celebration of Black History Month, the Black on Broadway mural on Main Street in Lorain highlights 20 Black changemakers. These important individuals are either natives of the Lorain County area or making a significant impact in the Lorian County community. Check it out this important piece of art! (The Morning Journal)
2. Working to make a difference and improve safety in the area for pedestrians and cyclists alike, the city of Avon Lake is taking steps to make improvements such as widening bike lanes on Lake Road. Reportedly, bike lanes will be widened one foot the entire length of Avon Lake, from Bay Village to Sheffield Lake. This means the car lane will be narrowed. Work on this project is slated to begin May 1st with an end date sometime in "late spring." In addition, sidewalks will be added to the same road. According to the Chronicle Telegram, "Avon Lake received Ohio Department of Transportation approval in December for a project completing sidewalks from state Route 83 to the Bay Village border. That project is expected to be finished in 2025." (Chronicle Telegram)
3. George Jackson Jr. a seasoned basketball referee collapsed in January at a game between Elyria and Avon Lake. Reportedly the 52-year-old began feeling ill in the locker room. He collapsed in a hallway. Laura Breese, Elyria's athletic trainer, sprang into action quickly administering CPR as did Megan Edwards, a registered nurse in the stands. The two women continued CPR until Jackson was able to breathe on his own. Doctors at the UH Elyria Medical Center discovered that Jackson had a 99% blockage in one of the arteries leading to his heart. The next day, doctors at the UH Elyria Medical center performed surgery to implant a stent to remove the blockage. Jackson and his heroes were united at a recent School Board meeting. According to WJW Fox 8 News Cleveland, Jackson said, '“It was really overwhelming. It was just really an emotional time, you know, they greeted me with joy and tears, just saying, ‘you’re alive, you’re alive,"' (WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland)

Today in Avon-Avon Lake:

• MGP Presents "The SpongeBob Musical" (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Cleveland Cavaliers: "We are proud to begin our Black Heritage Celebration presented by CrownRoyal Regal Apple! We honor & remember Black history, as well as recognize those who have positively impacted the Black community from Cleveland & Northeast Ohio." (Cleveland Cavaliers via Instagram)
• Cleveland Clinic: "When Demetria's health rapidly declined, she flew from her home in the Bahamas. Patients with endocarditis often have up to two infected heart valves, Demetria had all four." (Cleveland Clinic via Instagram)
• Cleveland Clinic: "Vijay Krishna, PhD, is a Cleveland Clinic scientist in the Lerner Research Institute’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. He holds 22 U.S. and international patents. ⁣ ⁣ His lab is focused on next-generation nanotechnologies." (Cleveland Clinic via Instagram)
• Love-A-Stray Dog Division Non-Profit Rescue: "Please contact ALPD if you know the owner of this dog 440-933-4567" (Love-A-Stray Dog Division Non-Profit Rescue via Facebook)
• Support Avon Schools: "Thank you for giving back to the kids in our community. Have you been to the newly renovated Avon Library yet! Community Grand Re-opening is today (Saturday, Feb. 4 from 1 to 6 p.m.). " (Support Avon Schools via Facebook)
• Avon Lake Wrestling Club: "We're still fired up from Wednesday - HUGE Thanks to the Cheerleaders, the Merples/IMMIX, the Pep Band, Shorty, the faculty, and the whole student body for making "Dual in the School" a success! Avon Lake High School Choir Boosters Avon ..." (Avon Lake Wrestling Club via Facebook)
• Cleveland Clinic: "Doing any reorganizing this weekend?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Lorena Molina, Crates, 2022, photograph.⁣ ⁣ Courtesy of the artist.⁣ ⁣ On view at Weston Hospital. ⁣ ⁣ #artoftheday #cleclinicartheals #artbreak #contemoraryart #artofinstagram #artistsonins..." (Cleveland Clinic via Instagram)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Karena Garrity

About me: Journalism is in my veins. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Avon-Avon Lake Patch newsletter? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com