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Ashtabula, Ohio | www.starbeacon.com 

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016

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Railroad Rails to Trails

Trails give rail beds new life

EDITORS NOTE: Dec. 29 makes the 140th anniversary of the

1876 Ashtabula Train Disaster. In recognition of the event, this
week the Star Beacon is looking at the past and present of the
railroad in Ashtabula County.
BY SHELLEY TERRY
sterry@starbeacon.com

A historic agreement
between Ashtabula
County Metroparks and
the City of Ashtabula
caps the first phase of
a process that could
extend the Western Reserve Greenway Trail to
Ashtabula Harbor and
Lake Erie. Metroparks
has completed a multiyear planning and
acquisition grant from
the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources to
secure the now updated
trail route.
A map of the 4.2-mile
project shows a main
route and an alternate
route for the new bike
corridor. The primary
course under development will lead bicyclists
north on West Avenue
and then cross over to
Michigan Avenue before
following a gradual
decline along West 8th
Street to Goodwill Drive
to Bridge Street. The
route then climbs the
scenic staircase at the
Harbor with a proposed
bicycle trough to wheel
bicycles up the steep
hill to Walnut Boulevard
and Point Park and

the Maritime Museum

overlooking Ashtabula
Harbor.
The primary trail
route concludes at
Walnut Beach and Lake
Erie. A scenic route is
now included, linking
the conclusion of the
current trail to a scenic
route along Lake Erie
and Walnut Boulevard
to Norwood Road. Both
portions of the trail will
utilize public roads for
the vast majority of its
mileage.
The final trail route
provides a more gradual, less congested
descent to the Harbor, said Ashtabula
County Metroparks
Executive Director Larry
Frimerman, who completed the final negotiations and grant process.
We are grateful for
our partnerships with
the Ohio Department of
Natural Resources, City
of Ashtabula, Civic Development Corporation
(CDC) and local property owners, he said.
An alternate route
will be developed in
the future and use
the Ashtabula Gulf
SEE RAILROAD, A3

The Greenway Trail is one of the uses for old railroad track beds. The Ashtabula County Metroparks operates the
trail that runs from Ashtabula to the Trumbull County line.

Shoppers hit
stores on day
after Christmas
BY WARREN DILLAWAY
warren@starbeacon.com

WARREN DILLAWAY | STAR BEACON

Sarah Williams, of Ashtabula, jogs in 50 degree weather on Monday at Smith Field in Ashtabula.

Warm weather brings people out of hiding

BY WARREN DILLAWAY
warren@starbeacon.com

The brief respite

from wintry weather
came and went quickly
on Monday as temperatures rose into

GOT A
NEWS TIP?

the mid 50s and then

cooled significantly
as a cold front came
through the area, said
National Weather
Service Meteorologist
Brian Mitchell.
Mitchell said tem-

PAG E A5

peratures got as warm

as 64 degrees on
Monday afternoon in
Cleveland and most areas saw temperatures
at least 55 degrees.
Its going to cool off
to the mid 30s, he

PAG E A6

CALL US!
440-994-3243

Japanese prime minister

arrives in Hawaii
for memorial visit

AP New Years poll:

Americans hopeful
for a better 2017

said of todays forecast.

He said the change
will be significant. A
good 20 to 25 degrees
different, Mitchell
SEE WEATHER, A3

The holiday shopping

season, that began
on Thanksgiving Day,
finally came to a conclusion on Monday as
area shoppers hit area
stores with return merchandise and gift cards
in hand, area store
managers said.
J.C. Penney Store
Manager Christina
Martinko, at Ashtabula Towne Square in
Ashtabula Township,
said it was a good
Christmas shopping
season. There wasnt
any thing special
just across the board
(sales), she said.
Martinko said more
than 20 people were
waiting in line on Monday morning when the
store opened at 6 a.m.
She said the store was
busy all day with shoppers returning merchandise and spending
gift cards they received
for Christmas.
She said Thanksgiving weekend was the
busiest time of the holiday shopping season
but the whole season

DEATHS

BLUHM, Annette
KIRK, Robert P. Sr.
MONTERO, Reyes V.
MORRIS, John T.
OCONNELL, Carolyn A.
ROCCO, Ruth E.
TANN, Velma E.
For obituaries
call (440) 998-0727

Troy Dalrymple

Mariannes Chocolates owner

was good. It was exciting, he said.

Mother-daughter
shoppers Therese
Dawes of Ashtabula
and Crystal Dawes of
Louisville, KY, visited
the Saybrook Township
Peebles Store. They
had some great sales
today, Crystal Dawes
after checking out on
Monday afternoon.
Peebles Store Manager Jasmine Schiedel
said it was a good holiday season. The 23rd
(of December) is always
the busiest, she said.
Shoppers arrived
at 9 a.m. as the store
opened Schiedel said.
We were probably busier than Black Friday.
SEE CHRISTMAS, A3

I NS I DE

OUTS I DE

Very good.
It had a slow
start but had a
great finish.
We got wiped
out of a lot
of things.

Mostly Cloudy
High 37 | Low 29
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Sunrise 7:50 Sunset 4:59

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