News-Journal from Mansfield, Ohio • 1

GPOTG: EUSfjiia EsaoEioftMII coaccsa SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1996 MANSFIELD, OHIO 50 cents 17113 Stoppers hit the streets Holiday gift-buying season gets under way 1 1 DW By Dan Kopp News Journal I Country inn, conference center being developed mm A planned $2.3 million inn and conference center is nearly ready to go in Washington Township. rviri Is A Trease Road 1 ONTARIO If the old saying "the more the merrier" is true, then there were thousands of ecstatic people in area stores Friday. On what is traditionally the beginning of the holiday shopping season, stores in and near the Richland Mall, Wal-Mart Plaza and Springfield Square were teeming with people. Stores at Kingsgate Mall, the West Park Shopping Center and Appleseed Center, along with downtown weren't as busy early in the morning. But there were shoppers everywhere.

For many stores, cash registers were ringing loud and often. Tara Roberts, an associate at Circus World Toy Store in the Richland Mall, said about 75 people were in line at 8 a.m. waiting for the store's gates to be opened. At 8:25, there were about 50 people waiting in line to buy items. Among those at Circus World were Sarah and Stephanie Kiger of Lexington.

"I'm looking for bargains," Sarah said. Stephanie said they started the day at 6 a.m. at Wal-Mart, then went to Hills Department Store at 6:30. "The lines were so long there it was terrible," she said. Tasha Miller, 9, of Mansfield and Ty Starkey, 13, of Galion were among those battling the crowds.

Like many others, they were looking for bargains and sales. Pamela Miller of Fort Wayne, and Desiree Eck-hardt of Eden, N.Y., are visiting relatives in the area during the holidays and, like Others, were out looking for bargains. And finding them. Many shoppers had at least one bag full by 9 a.m. Bonnie Hildebrand of Galion and her sister, Colleen Jackson of Hayesville, were at Lazarus shortly after 8 a.m.

"We meet halfway," Hildebrand said. They were looking for Christmas presents, but "I bought something for myself," she said. Dave PolcynNews Journal photos Tiffany Vidonlsh, Jennifer Blocker, twins Kara and Nicole Bonham, and Kjlle Bonham, 5, get excited as they spot Santa Claus after he ends a break Friday at Richland Mall. By Matthew Daneman News Journal WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP Most eyes in Washington Township are focused on a proposed mega-complex of entertainment and retail stores, Ohio Musicland Village. But another project a 15-acre country inn and conference center quietly has been developed and could be open as early as next summer.

The project needs only a change in zoning from the township before construction can start, Victorian Hills Inn president and co-owner Peter Kienle said Friday. The Victorian Hills development as planned now will be on Possum Run Road near Touby Road, next door to the Snow Trails Ski Resort. A pair of homes and a pool house are already on the land at 3230 Possum Run Road. "We've been working on the site, we've had a road tentatively put in there," the Dublin developer said. "We've got everything pretty well set." Victorian Hills plans include a main inn, a number of guest cottages, a conference center, a tennis court and a putting green, all to be located about a quarter mile off the road.

The past few months have seen a near-explosion of business plans and ideas for the section of Washington Township near the Interstate 71Ohio 13 interchange, as well as debate among the residents about the future of their rural neighborhoods. Victorian Hills Inn is only one of several development plans that have popped up recently. "I think the key to the area is Route 13 being a four-lane divided highway," said Bob Zettler, director of the Mansfield-Richland Area Chamber of Commerce. "Obviously you An Ontario police officer helps direct traffic on Lexington-Spring-mill Road at Springfield Square Shopping Center on Friday. Traffic jams defined part of the holiday shopping experience.

III i don't build a highway like that without the expectation for development to follow. "This is simply where others have seen the value and are taking a took at The biggest and most visible plan so far has been for Ohio Musicland Village, a large center of live entertainment, motels and shopping. Wester-ville developer Tim Foley has maintained that the Mansfield area is one of several areas being looked at for Musicland, and that a final decision on where it will go could come in December. Another proposed development for Washington Township that has been pitched to a number of landowners is Aspen of Ohio, a golf and country club with skiing and horseback trails, a convention center, condominiums and single-family homes. Curtis Kerns of Mid Ohio Resorts of Dublin, which is working on the proposed development, declined to comment Friday.

The big draw for Victorian Hills would be for activities, such as business retreats and corporate meetings, Kienle said. He said Victorian Hills also See CENTER, back page "I think jpeople are waking up the day after Thanksgiving and realizing they have less than a month," she said. According to Mall of America in Bloomington, the nation's largest retail and entertainment complex, nearly 40 percent of all Americans were expected to be out shopping Friday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. for especially strong holiday sales this year.

But on the flip side, the season is five days shorter than normal, because of the late Thanksgiving this year. "There is one less weekend of shopping this year, so the shopping will be more concentrated," said Jennifer Welsh, marketing director at the Gal-leria mall in downtown Cleveland. Other mall visitors were having packages wrapped or taking their children to see Santa Claus. Still others were taking out, sitting on benches to rest a bit before starting out again. Retailers count on the holidays for about half of their annual sales and profits.

With unemployment down and consumer confidence at a 10-year high, merchants are hoping mmm Shoplifting cases pick up over 7 years in Ontario to iheSo Ilt33t lliCICOSCS BO By Dan Kopp News Journal Number of cases at Richland Mail Ghrislma'-j jZ Anyone who would like to help this family should call the Salvation Army at 525-2912 and ask for case No. 2. Month 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 January I 20 I 10 I 4 I 3 I 15 I 9 I 21 February 7 L9JB 9 lfi 15 March 7 9 9 5 13 UQ24 April Ul 1 8 6 15 1J 25 May 5 9 1 4 11 11 21 June 8 9 3 2 15 15 19 July 7 3 8 8 20 9 13 August 12 4 6 17 1J 1Q1Z September 6 7 14 8 16 9 28 October 3 7 10 12 12L49 November 7 7 6 15 12 15 11 December 8 7 7 12 22 17na SCDTAI .1.140. 15ft. L.203J Source: Ontario Police Department RABBI BERNARD BLOOMSTONE Hanukkah marks freedom See page ID Study shows 200 percent jump in police reports By Earnest Winston News Journal ONTARIO Shoplifting has increased 200 percent in the village since 1990, according to a News Journal study of police The increase translates into more than 900 reported incidents of shoplifting at stores in Ontario between January 1990 and Nov.

27 of this year. Mayor Robert Urwin said most shoplifting can be attributed to the more than 30 stores and restaurants that have opened for business in the village since 1992. "There's more shopping, there's more people in the stores and more people in the area," said Urwin, who added that since 1992 more than 3,000 jobs have been created in the MANSFIELD Today's Brighten-A-Christmas casebook features a woman who has been struggling to make ends meet since her husband died about a year and a half ago. The woman has been doing her best, a caseworker said, but just can't make ends meet without some help. She has three daughters who need clothing and who really would appreciate some gifts for Christmas.

The teen-age girls wear XXL-size clothing, while a pre-teen girl wears size 7. The family also needs twin sheets, pillow cases, pots and pans, a vacuum cleaner and other household items, the caseworker said. Wendy HussNews Journal INDEX Advice 2D Nation 3A Business 6B Obituaries 1 0A Classified 2C People 2A Comics 7D Region 9A Editorial 5A Spirit "10 Lottery 2A Sports 1B Movies 3D Weather 14A Readers may donate money, food, furnishings, household goods, clothing or toys. No donor Is expected to provide all of the Items needed in a case. individuals, families, church and school groups, businesses, clubs and service organizations may participate.

Anyone wishing to help may call the Salvation Army at 522-2912. village, because of retail growth. "It's just the growth that has attracted more people to the area, and the shoplifting has increased," he said. Urwin said many people come from all over north central Ohio, Cleveland and Colum- Protect yourself from holiday crime, page 9A. bus to shop, mostly at the stores on Fourth Street and Lexington-Springmill Road.

Sea CRIME, back page 1.