Organized by Mike and Marie Ciu of Studio Q Photography in Amherst, the event is a bit different from the typical parade.

“To start, there are no cars or floats, which makes some ask why is it called a parade?” Mike Ciu said. “But really, it’s more about the kids and families that get to participate in it.”

Costumed participants will join the Marion L. Steele High School Marching Band as they march down Park Avenue toward Town Hall.

From there, participants are treated to donuts provided by Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery.

“When I first took over the event last year, I wanted to create something that everyone could participate in and have fun,” Ciu said. “We want to make these kids feel special and give them a chance to show off their costumes while they enjoy Halloween.”

Preceding the march, the costume contest will take place in the parking lot of the Amherst Utilities Department, 480 Park Ave.

Participants will be separated into four categories with prizes ranging from gift cards to candy.

“We have four categories — three age groups and then a family/group one that 18 and older can participate in,” Ciu said. “In order to be classified as a group, you have to have at least two people, and so couples in costume will also be in that category.”

Categories include ages infant to 5; 6 to 10; and 11 to 18 and family/group.

The contest begins at 3 p.m. with judging starting at 3:45.

At 4 p.m., the marching band will begin the parade.

Amherst also announced hours for trick-or-treat which will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Oct. 31.

Downtown businesses will hold trick-or-treat from 4 to 5 p.m., Oct. 28.

Organized by Judy Recknagel, the event has been marketed as a time for adults to enjoy the spirit of Halloween and let their inner craftsperson shine.

“I love Halloween, and I know that witches are a big part of it,” Recknagel said. “So, I wanted to do something involving them that adults could enjoy.

“It started with just decorating witch hats and visiting downtown shops. But after last year’s impressive turnout, we wanted to expand it.”

Bringing in close to 150 participants plus their families, the event transformed downtown Amherst into a witch’s lair complete with costumed doggy companions in tow.

“This year, we will be handing out prizes for first, second and third for hats, but also, for costumes because so many people dressed up last year,” Recknagel said. “We hope that we will see even more people participate this year.”

Additionally, this year includes the activation of the designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA, which recently was passed by City Council.

“I think the DORA is going to be a great addition to this event,” Recknagel said. “It is something that already has such great economic value.

“And so to add that to the shopping that will be available during the event, will be an even greater economic tool.”

Anyone can come dressed up, but in order to participate in the judging, witches must be age 21 and older, Recknagel said.

Judging will take place at 8 a.m. at 5 Points Tavern, 134 Park Ave.

Sign up opens at 4 p.m. and also can be done at 5 Points.

“We are really looking forward to this year,” Recknagel said. “We can’t wait to welcome back our original judges, plus Kim Haney, who was the winner of last year’s event, as a special guest judge.”

“I have seen a huge increase in food places in Amherst from new restaurants to food trucks, but one thing I haven’t seen is Asian food options,” Keiuf said. “I am excited to announce that I am going to change that with my new restaurant, Smoku Ramen.”

According to Keiuf, the ideas for a ramen restaurant has been in the works for many years,

Only recently, has the opportunity presented itself as space opened up in downtown Amherst.

“Two doors down from my tattoo shop, American Outlaw, 164 Park Ave., there is a storefront that has gone on the market,” Keiuf said. “And as soon as I saw their rent sign go out, I knew it was time to bring my idea to life.

“I have always been enamored by Japanese culture, and ramen is one of my favorite foods. So, the idea for a restaurant kind of fit perfectly.”

But the ties between ramen and tattooing go even further.

“There was the famous tattoo artist known as Sailor Jerry, who traveled to Japan because he wanted to learn the ways of traditional Japanese tattooing,” Keiuf said. “While there, he was also captivated by the culture and would say holy smokes to a lot of things he saw.

“Now, the Japanese didn’t know what he meant, and so when they gave him his nickname, they decided to make fun of him.”

Earning the title of Hoiri Smoku, Sailor Jerry’s christening was Keiuf’s light bulb moment.

“Hoiri means to carve and is given to woodworkers and tattooists,” Keiuf said. “And then smoku, they were making fun of his holy smokes through that name.

“But the word Smoku, also fits quite well when it comes to hot foods, like ramen, so it flows really well.”

While no open date has been announced for the shop yet, Keiuf says he is aiming for mid February but admits the designs will take some time.

“I am waiting to hear back from my architect to see if my vision can be done, but so far, it is sounding like we are a go for it,” he said. “What I am planning is, I want the experience at Smoku to be more than just about the food, but to actually bring customers into the culture and feel as well.”

Modeled after the streets of Japan where ramen commonly is made and sold, the restaurant hopes to bring a miniature scene of the country’s food scene right to Amherst, Keiuf said.

“At Smoku Ramen, we’re not just about serving delicious food from Japan; we’re all about creating an immersive experience that transports our customers straight to the vibrant streets of Tokyo, or Osaka,” he said. “Picture stepping into our restaurant and being surrounded by the sights, sounds, and of course smells of Japan’s bustling food scene.

“Prepare to embark on a culinary adventure like no other.”

Opportunities for discounts at both Smoku and American Outlaw are in the works, Keiuf said.

“The Amherst Board of Education and the Amherst Teachers Association are happy to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement on all outstanding issues for a new, three-year labor contract,” announced the Board of Education and Amherst Teachers Association shortly after a tentative agreement was reached. “Although the specific details will not be disclosed until after ratification and adoption by the parties, we believe that this agreement is fair and benefits all of our district stakeholders.”

During negotiations Oct. 10, members of the community joined the Amherst Teachers Association outside Marion L. Steele High School for a “Rally for a Resolution” event.

“We gathered for this rally today, because we wanted to have the community together and have some fun,” said Emily Marty, spokesperson for the Amherst Teachers Association and an educator. “We have seen a huge outpouring of support from the community throughout this, and we wanted to give back to them through an event like this to show our appreciation.”

Over 300 people descended upon Steele High parking lot, including teacher supporters from Sandusky, Lorain, Cleveland and Elyria.

Additionally, two Girl Scout troops chose to hold their meetings at the rally.

“We are really surprised and excited to hear that two Girl Scout troops came out to hold their meetings here today,” Marty said. “According to them, they are working on their leadership badge and wanted to showcase us as an example of good leadership.”

But the announcement of a tentative agreement is important to more than just the Amherst teachers, she said.

“We have everybody watching us, other districts whose contracts are going to expire; they’re watching us and seeing how we handle this and how it all plays out,” Marty said. “We hope that our leadership will be an inspiration for them.”

As families came together in support of the teachers and the board, there appeared to be excitement from students both current and former, in seeing their teachers.

“It feels great to be able to be out here and see everyone together,” said a teacher who asked not to be named. “It is amazing to hear the kids excitement and it is great for us to be able to connect with former students.”

A group of alumni even made their way up from Ohio State University to partake in the festivities.

And the work paid off.

“I want to thank each and every one of you for your support; it has not gone unnoticed,” said Mike Edwards, an educator and union member. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the posts, the love, and everything you’ve done, but we especially thank you for allowing us to educate your children because that’s what we love doing the most.”

The Board and the Amherst Teachers Association are expected to ratify this new tentative agreement and contract within the following weeks, with a new contract set in place as early as mid-November.

Representatives from the leadership of both parties expressed their belief that this resolution will continue to move the district into a positive direction and time continues.

Organized by Westwood Middle School Vice Principal Michelle Nimene, the week of events saw students celebrating the Latin culture by wearing their favorite sports jerseys featuring Hispanic players, culminating into a full blown event Oct. 6.

Students, joined by community members who offered to volunteer, learned how to make salsa, learn different dances and more.

“Today is really about exploring all that Hispanic culture has to offer and introducing our students to the wonderful aspects of it,” Nimene said. “I being, Puerto Rican myself, was allowed to bring this event here, and it is something that we will likely continue.”

Circling through different stations, students created salsa and empanadas, learned how to dance the salsa and Zoomba and studied the history of Latin culture while also picking up a few new Spanish words.

“Our teachers sacrificed their time and put a lot of effort into doing this, but it’s so worth it,” Nimene said. “Because while our students are learning about Hispanic culture, it is more important than that; they are learning about each other.”

The Elyria School District has experienced a 30% growth in Hispanic students in the past year, a number Nimene said likely will continue.

“Our students are like our family, and in Hispanic culture, family is huge,” she said. “We wanted to deliver that message above all others and make our students feel included and give them the feeling that they belong.”

And the event was well received by teachers and community members.

“I think this is just an absolutely wonderful idea,” said Pam Murphy, a math teacher at Westwood. “It is a great chance to combine both Hispanic culture with each of our usual lesson plans, and the students have loved it.”

In Murphy’s room, students used fractions to learn how to make their own salsa.

Community member and teacher April Serfozo brought in shaved ice for students from her business Trolls Under the Bridge Shaved Ice.

“We really could not have done this without our volunteers,” Nimene said. “And I want to thank Pam Murphy, April Serfozo, Susan Church, Samantha Schwendler, Lisa Plass, Charmaine Lupinucci, Alonso Southard, Beth Kelley, Socorro Gomez, Maria Majoras, Dianna Pagan, Tehja Rush-Pagan and Alivia Morales for all of their help and support.”

“The idea behind our winter whiskers is a time for our officers to relax and raise money for a good cause,” said Amherst Police Department Chief Mark Cawthon. “During it, our officers are allowed to grow facial hair, but they must donate $150 to participate in the event.”

Additionally, dispatchers will be able to participate, Cawthon said.

Instead of growing some stubble, the dispatchers will be allowed to dress down in jeans during the six-month period, the chief said.

“It was a huge hit last year amongst our staff and the community, and the money we raise goes to students for scholarships,” Cawthon said. “So, it is really all around a fun thing.”

The local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police also helps out with the event matching the dollar amount raised so that more valuable scholarships can be awarded, he said.

Officers participating are encouraged to wear buttons depicting a bearded officer donated by Denise Darrow, a community member.

“(Darrow) was gracious enough to donate these buttons and help make the event a bit more fun for everyone,” said Lt. Jacob Perez. “Last year through this event, our officers were able to hand out two scholarships to Amherst High School seniors, and we hope to be able to grow that number.”

Perez and Cawthon said that, depending on interest and participation, the types of scholarships awarded may grow as well to include continuing education and Lorain County Joint Vocational School students.

Shelby Horvath said she and some of her friends are responsible for the wicked scene.

“So the big buzz about the witches over the weekend, was actually me and some of my friends doing our second annual Witching Hour photoshoot,” said Horvath, 23. “We are really, really happy that it got as much feedback as it did, and the event itself was huge success.”

Inspired by her love for the spooky season and women empowerment, Witching Hour is a photoshoot event that Horvath created two years ago.

“Last year, was the first time I did the event and there wasn’t a lot of planning put into it because we wanted to test the waters,” she said. “I really wanted to transform it this year into a full blown event that included multiple locations, a craft, food and a movie night and it was a huge success.”

Horvath has been in the photography business for four years.

While her career is in its infancy, she said she can’t believe how far she’s already come.

“I went to LCCC to be an art teacher after high school, but when the pandemic hit, there weren’t really a bunch of jobs for art teachers, so I started to look into photography,” Horvath said. “I really just fell in love with film photography and got my universal arts career and immediately got into the business.”

Last year, Horvath said she changed from digital creations to a boutique style.

The move, she said, has tremendously helped her with her business.

“I just recently switched to the boutique model for business, and it has been a huge help,” she said. “I am a people person first and foremost, and I love that I am able to be close with my clients and spend more time with them with this model.”

Horvath said her business is built on relationships and has a deep connection to women and cancer survivors.

“I lost my mom, Nancy, to breast cancer when I was 14, and that is something that has really stuck with me,” she said. “She was so powerful when she was going through everything, and that has pushed me to continue showcasing powerful women and mothers.”

While her photography specializes in women, motherhood and boudoir, Horvath said she also has continued to branch out through events like Witching Hour and a new upcoming photo session titled Evil Princesses.

“The idea for Evil Princesses is really something that I did a trial run with my nieces not too long ago,” she said. “What the basic concept is, is we will invite 10 little girls individually to my studio where they will get to put on these huge puffy couture gowns and told they have a kingdom to protect from an evil prince.

“From there, they must transform into an evil princess or queen and save their kingdom. ”

For those interested in booking a photoshoot with Horvath including little girls wanting to participate in Evil Princesses, can contact her through her Facebook page at Shelby L. Photography or visit the studio at 33489 Lake Road in Avon Lake.

“This vote is a vote of confidence in our ATA leadership and bargaining team and our unwavering commitment to maintain the standard of excellence the Amherst students and community deserve,” said Emily Marty, spokesperson and union member of the Amherst Teachers Association, and educator. “The Board needs to commit to a contract that will continue to attract and retain caring, committed and highly qualified educators who support and transform student learning inside and outside the classroom.”

Under Ohio law, a public employee union like the Amherst Teachers Association is required to provide a 10-day advanced notice of its intention to strike.

Now that Amherst Teachers Association voted to authorize the bargaining team to issue a Notice of Intent to Strike and Picket, members can file the 10-day notice with the State Employment Relations Board at any time, and a strike could commence as soon as 10 days after filing.

The Amherst Board of Education has responded to the notice stating its disappointment with the matter.

“We, the Board, just today received notice that the ATA has authorized the issuance of a 10-day strike notice of a potential teacher strike by leadership,” according to Amherst Exempted Village Superintendent Mike Molnar. “However, we have no knowledge that an actual notice with a date certain has been filed and no other information has been provided to us.”

The Board of Education received the first notice of the unfair practice charge filed on behalf of the Amherst Teachers Association.

“This charge lacks any semblance of credibility and is a transparent attempt by the union’s leadership to continue their pressure campaign of misinformation and misdirection,” according to Molnar. “Board President (Rex) Engle’s remarks on Sept. 25 — which are readily available to see online by any interested party — did not discuss, either directly or indirectly, any proposal or counterproposal currently before the parties of mediation.”

The Board stated it was a “frivolous claim.”

Further, the board defends the comments made by Engle.

“Mr. Engle’s comments accurately reflected the Board’s role as stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars and the need for ‘give and take’ in negotiations,” he said. “To characterize his remarks as an unfair labor practice, is absurd and it is extremely unfortunate that the leadership of ATA would ignore both the facts and the law when approving the filing of this desperate claim.

“Instead of focusing on resolving the few remaining issues, they appear concerned only with continuing tactics that are both unfounded and divisive.”

The Amherst Teachers Association Master Agreement expired June 29 of this year and the union has continued to bargain in good faith under an expired contract, according to Marty.

The negotiations session with the federal mediator is scheduled 5 p.m., for Oct. 10, and a rally by the Amherst Teachers Association is planned in the front parking lot of Marion L. Steele High School.

“We don’t want to strike, but our students, teachers and community deserve a contract that values and respects the professional expertise of every educator to support student learning,” Marty said. “We hope that our vote has sent a strong message to the Board.”

The headline was changed at 11:22 a.m., Oct. 9, to indicate teachers approved a motion authorizing team to issue 10-day strike notice.

“This flag could be seen flying over Vermilion High School, which was on South Street at the time, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor,” said Kenneth Baughman, president for The Friends of Harbour Town Inc., the organization responsible for donating the flag. “After the attack on Pearl Harbor, a teacher named Willis Gebhardt, who later became the principal from 1945 to 1961, took down the flag on Dec. 8 and put up a brand new one to show respect for the lives lost.”

The old flag was kept by Gebhardt, who donated it to the Friends in the early 1990s.

Since then, the flag has remained in the care of the group.

With the recent announcement of the group’s closure, it is time the flag moves on.

“With our organization closing down, we felt it would be fitting to return the flag back to Vermilion High School,” Baughman said. “It is a part of their history, and so we will be donating it, alongside a monetary donation.”

The monetary donation is expected to help off-set the Greenfield Village field trips taken every year by the fifth-grade students.

A formal donation ceremony is expected during the board meeting at 6 p.m. at Vermilion High, 1250 Sanford St.

The American flag has other ties in Ohio.

In 1958, as part of a school project in 1958, Robert Heft, who later became mayor of Napoleon, Ohio, designed a 50-star American flag showcasing the hopeful inclusion of Alaska and Hawaii as states joining the Union.

At the time, only Alaska had officially joined.

According to an interview Heft, who was in Saginaw, Mich., did with Ohio Magazine in 2015, “I took an old flag stored in a closet at my grandparents’ home and cut out its star covered blue field, from there I bought $2 worth of blue cotton fabric and traced 100 stars on a white iron-on tape and arranged 50 to each side of the blue fabric.”

This alternating pattern of five rows of six stars and four rows of five stars would go on to become the nation’s 50-star flag.

“On Sept. 25, members of the ATA (Amherst Teachers Association) attended the school board meeting, which included a statement made by Powers Elementary School teacher, Mrs. (Courtney) Rua, during the public participating meeting,” said Emily Marty, spokesperson for the Amherst Teachers Association, union member and educator. “(Amherst Teachers Association) members brought nonperishable items to symbolize the amount of additional time spent by educators, beyond their paid, contractual day, during a two-week period.”

The Board was able to gather 642 pounds of food which was displayed during the meeting before being donated by the Amherst Teachers Association to Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio.

“Each can represents 10 hours of time these teachers have spent outside the classroom preparing lessons, grading homework and more,” said Rua in her statement. “During a normal school day, we receive a certain amount of time each day that is spent making phone calls and managing other occurrences.

“What is not finished, then comes home with us to continue to be worked on, on our time.”

The Amherst Teachers Association knows that the additional hours are mandatory and that they do them gladly for their students, Rua said.

Also during the meeting, discussion of the ongoing issues was openly talked about, something the Amherst Teachers Association said it felt is breaking the bargaining agreement.

“The ATA believes the actions of the Board during the Sept. 25, 2023, Board of Education Meeting violates Ohio Revised Code Sections 4117(A)(5) and serves as another examples of the Board’s resistance to commit to settling a fair contract deal,” Marty said. “The ATA is disappointed that the spirit of good faith negotiations has been tainted by the actions of the Board of Education president.”

During the meeting, Board of Education President Rex Engle replied to the teachers’ show of support.

“We take all that has been happening in the past two weeks, into consideration,” Engle said. “But, we must also take into consideration that we only have an ‘X’ amount of dollars that we can spend on general funding.”

Engle also stated during the meeting that the average salary for Amherst teachers is the second highest on the pay scale in Lorain County.

He also said the Board of Education wants to reach a negotiation with the Amherst Teachers Association.

“Despite the Board’s actions of openly discussing bargaining details, the ATA will remain committed to get back to the table on Oct. 10 and reach an agreement that will continue to attract and retain caring, committed and highly qualified educators who support and transform student learning inside and outside the classroom,” Marty said.

The Board of Education declined to comment at this time.

The Amherst Teachers Association will hold a rally from 5-7 p.m., Oct. 10, at Marion L. Steele High School, 450 Washington St., the same time as the board meeting.

The rally will feature music, food and games.

Amherst Teachers Association members are expected to show up donning their orange shirts and buttons stating, “I don’t want a strike, but I will is I must.”

The Amherst Teachers Association’s contract expired in June 2022 and the subsequent rollover agreement in June 2023.