News roundup for Aug. 31, 2021

Trekking through Autumn hiking program is afoot Medina County Park District's self-guided hiking program, Trekking through Autumn, is back for its 15th year. This annual hiking program, hosted from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, allows individuals of all abilities to get out and experience the fall in Medina County's parks, all while earning awards by completing at least eight designated hikes. This program offers a choice of 14 different hiking trails in parks and nature preserves to share the natural beauty of Medina County. If a trail isn't listed, participants have the option to write their favorite trails down as the "Hiker's Choice" option. Once participants have completed eight or more trails, they can bring their completed form to the nature center by Dec. 17 to receive their reward. Backpacks are rewarded to first-year participants, while hiking pins are awarded in successive years. Awards are free to Medina County residents, but out-of-county residents pay $10 for a backpack and $3 for hiking pins. Medina County park sites are open every day from 6 a.m. until one hour past sunset. The Oenslager Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. To participate, pick up a Trekking through Autumn form at Medina County Park District headquarters, Oenslager Nature Center or print one at medinacountyparks.com. Post your hiking photos on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #trekkingthroughautumn and the park district will share it on its social media. Celebrate Made in Medina County Day with tours The Medina County Economic Development Corp. will host Made in Medina County Day on National Manufacturing Day, celebrated on the first Friday of October. Throughout the day Oct. 1, participants can go on tours at manufacturing plants across the county, and there may even be some elected officials at some of the plants "working" away. Some of the plants available for a tour are 3M, McJak Candy, Root Candles and Columbia Chemical. Participants can sign up for multiple tours throughout the day but must factor in the possible lengths of the tours, which could go for an hour to an hour and a half. Masks and closed-toe shoes will be required at all tours. Slots are limited, with less than in the past, so be sure to register early. Register for tours at bit.ly/3mL06O0. 'Rockin' the Depot' show benefits museum Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the "Rockin' the Depot" show at 2-5 p.m. Sept. 12. This show will feature live music with multi-instrumentalist Ted "The Music Man" Riser. Admission is free, but all donations will benefit the Lodi Railroad Museum, 205 Railroad St., Lodi. The depot will be open from noon to 5 p.m. the day of the show. For more information, call (330) 241-3486 or send an email on the website at lodirailroadmuseum.org. Cloverleaf High School to host employment event Cloverleaf High School is hosting its Employment, Enlistment, Enrollment event for the current senior class at 8-9:30 a.m. Oct. 7. All students who are not currently enrolled in the Medina County Career Center will attend sessions, including financial management, military enlistment, college options and career options. If you are interested in having a booth at the event to share with students about your company and why should they apply, register at bit.ly/3mKqNCm. The event is looking for mock interviewers for the students. If interested, send an email to kathyb@medinacounty.org. Fire-Dex acquires Nevada-based facility Fire-Dex announced Monday the acquisition of Marken PPE Restoration, a UL verified independent service provider of clean and repair services based out of Las Vegas. This business is the third ISP Fire-Dex has acquired, following the purchase of Gear Wash in 2019 and Done Right Fire Gear in 2020. This acquisition will allow the company to expand its efforts to provide clean and repair services to departments in untouched regions throughout the West. The broad service offerings will include advanced cleanings, inspections, repairs, alterations, PPE rental gear, and record keeping. Marken PPE Restoration will act as a fifth Gear Wash location for Fire-Dex, including Milwaukee, Hudson, Florida, Pelham, Georgia, Memphis, Tennessee and now Las Vegas. Rittman man killed in Cleveland accident The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office announced Christopher Combs, 40, of Rittman, was killed in a motor vehicle crash Friday. He was treated and died at MetroHealth Medical Center after the crash on Interstate 90 west in Cleveland. 12 Red Cross workers assigned to Hurricane Ida response Twelve American Red Cross workers, most of them volunteers, are responding to the needs of residents who are being impacted by Hurricane Ida. Several are working in shelters, providing a safe place to stay for people who were forced to flee their homes. Along with Red Cross partners, they are also supplying meals, comfort and health care to the affected residents. In addition, two emergency response vehicles from the Northern Ohio Region have been dispatched, each with a two-person crew, to deliver food, water, cleanup kits and other supplies to residents in affected areas when it is deemed safe to do so. More than a dozen other volunteers from the Northern Ohio Region are assisting with a variety of other disaster responses, including the California wildfires. The Red Cross is in need of additional volunteers who are willing to be trained and to deploy to future disasters. A two-week commitment is typically required. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday or call (216) 431-3328 to apply. In other news, there will be five blood clinics in Medina County: • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, St. Mark Church, 1330 N. Carpenter Road, Brunswick • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Medina Community Recreation Center, 855 Weymouth Road, Medina • 2-7 p.m. Friday, Holy Martyrs Church, 3100 S. Weymouth Road, Medina Township • 2-7 p.m. Sept. 10, Medina United Methodist Church, 4747 Foote Road, Medina Township • 1-7 p.m. Sept. 13, Brunswick United Methodist Church, 1395 Pearl Road, Brunswick Navy Reservist runs for Ohio's 7th Congressional district Matt Shoemaker, of Columbia Township, announced his candidacy for Ohio's 7th Congressional District, officially filing to run in the 2022 Republican primary. In a statement, Shoemaker said, "As a Navy Reservist and former intelligence officer, I know how important leadership and accountability are," Shoemaker said in a statement. "There is a tremendous deficit of those qualities in the Biden Administration and from Congressional Democrats such as Nancy Pelosi. I have decided to take a stand and run for Congress because I have had enough of watching Democrats destroy America's credibility abroad while pushing their socialist agenda at home, and will spend whatever it takes to win because their radical agenda will continue to destroy everything that has made America great." Residential rubbish collection delayed on Labor Day Medina City Hall will be closed Sept. 6 in recognition of Labor Day. Due to the closure, all residential rubbish collections will be delayed one day during the week of Sept. 6. Trash pickup will resume Tuesday, Sept. 7, through Saturday, Sept. 11. — from staff reports