Lake Erie College students applauded for ‘Bridge the Word Gap’ project | Bouquets and Brickbats

BOUQUETS >> To those Lake Erie College education students who recently donated more than 5,000 books to the Painesville School District for its Summer Book Box.

The Book Box is a summer mobile program sponsored by the district’s Curriculum Department that stops at four locations in the city of Painesville, allowing students to take books home to improve access to reading. Unlike a library, the books are for students to keep and they are encouraged to take as many as they want, a news release stated.

The goal is to inspire both children and adults to embrace regular reading, which in turn promotes literacy.

The college students kicked off this service learning project, titled “Bridge the Word Gap,” March 28 with a scholastic book fair.

They also used social media platforms, Buy-Sell-Trade and other fundraising strategies, including a dine-to-donate at Chipotle.

Clearly, the “Bridge the Word Gap” project was a success, and the Lake Erie College students and teachers involved in this initiative deserve recognition.

BOUQUETS >> To Laketran General Manager Ben Capelle, on being named a Top 4 Under 40 award winner by the Ohio Public Transit Association during the group’s annual meeting in Columbus.

“It was an unexpected honor to be recognized by OPTA,” Capelle said. “I’m not really one who likes the attention, but appreciate being recognized alongside other very deserving peers.

“I truly believe transit leaders are only as good as those inside our agencies that make sure our buses are on the road. I’d like to share this honor with my Laketran staff, who are dedicated to making sure Lake County residents have transit access they need.”

In 2012, Capelle joined Laketran as its operations manager to oversee the daily operation of Laketran’s core services, Medicaid contracts and construction projects.

Additionally, Capelle led the implementation of numerous technology upgrades, including Laketran’s GPS navigation and tracking, automatic bus locators, and automated reminder calls and online reservations for Dial-a-Ride. Capelle also spearheaded the transition of Laketran’s Dial-a-Ride buses to propane fuel, which yields significant fuel savings for the agency.

Capelle was promoted to deputy general manager in April 2016 and then to general manager in August 2017, following the retirement of Ray Jurkowski.

Laketran Board President Brian Falkowski said Capelle was a fine choice to earn a Top 4 under 40 honor.

“Ben is incredibly hardworking and is consistently implementing initiatives to advance the agency through technology and innovation,” he said.

It sounds like Capelle is the right person to keep Laketran on the road to success.

BRICKBATS >> To Ryan St. John of Dayton, after he received a maximum sentence of 18 years to life in prison for the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son.

Prosecutors say St. John, 23, had been watching Brayden Ferguson in February 2017 when the toddler’s mother came home and found him not breathing. He was taken to a hospital and removed from a ventilator the next day.

St. John was sentenced May 1 in Dayton.

The Montgomery County coroner said the toddler died from severe blunt force trauma resulting in a skull fracture, brain bleeding and other injuries.

A jury found St. John guilty of murder, endangering children, involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault April 6.

It’s sad to say we’ve seen too many toddlers and other young children die under similar circumstances in recent years. Hopefully, news of St. John’s sentence will inspire others to treat children properly.

BRICKBATS >> To Donald Martin Jr., of Mount Orab, Ohio, in Brown County, after he pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in the death of his 11-year-old step-grandson.

Martin, who weighs 400 pounds, killed Dylan Davis after trying to restrain the autistic child with mild autism during a temper tantrum.

Dylan, who weighed 90 pounds, died after Martin pinned him against the arm of a couch during the incident. Brown County sheriff’s Sgt. Chad Noble on April 27 called Dylan’s death a “tragic accident.”

Dylan’s grandmother called 911 to report that the boy had passed out after a tantrum. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

A coroner ruled that Dylan died of positional asphyxiation.

Martin is scheduled be sentenced on May 8.

It’s unfortunate that Martin and his wife couldn’t have taken more constructive steps to help Dylan calm down. If they had, this tragedy could have been averted.