Home Care In Wauseon, OH

WAUSEON, Ohio (WTVG) - Skyrocketing water and rent prices have residents at a senior-living mobile home park in Wauseon gearing up for a class-action lawsuit.

“We’ll make it, ‘cause we always have, but it’s far,” Sue Boysel, who lives at Buckeye Estates said. “It’s not fair to so many other people in the park.”

Over the past year and a half, the Boysels say rent at Buckeye Estates Mobile Home Park has more than doubled.

“$242, right now, we’re paying $370,” Harold Boysel said. “And they want to take it up to 650.”

Rent isn’t the only thing that’s increasing and Sue and Harold’s daughter, Teresa Hartsock, say’s it’s taking a toll on the seniors who live at the mobile home park.

“These seniors can’t do that,” Hartsock said. “My parents are on a fixed income.”

It’s a huge change for the Boysel couple who have lived at the park for 16 years.

”I don’t want to move from here, cause I like it really well,” Sue Boysel said.

The couple claims the price hikes started when new management took over.

“So, they all decided to get together and they filed a small claims suit,” Hartsock said. “There’s 10 of them, I believe, that have filed the small claims suit.”

And the residents aren’t stopping there.

“They found out if they can get 25 people that they can file a class action suit,” Hartsock said. “They do now have enough people, so we’re going to file it. We’re going to move forward. I’m going to help them move forward with all of that.

The Boysels will be in court on Aug. 11 for their small claims suit and Hartsock says she is working with an attorney to put together and file a class action lawsuit.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2023 WTVG. All rights reserved.

Retail

An Ohio restaurant 'forced' servers to work 60 hours a week for just $10 in wages plus tips, the Department of Labor says

Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn Copy Link

Read in app

A restaurant in Ohio made its servers work for just $10 a week plus tips, the Department of Labor said after concluding an investigation.

The DoL said its investigation found that the owner of Los Mariachis, a Mexican restaurant in Wauseon, northwest Ohio, "forced" servers to cash their paychecks and then pay their wages back to him in cash.

Servers, who worked an average of 60 hours a week, were only allowed to keep the tips they earned plus $20 per two-week pay period, the DOL said.

By providing servers with paychecks and ordering them to then cash them in and pay most of the money back, the restaurant may have been attempting to disguise wrongdoing.

Ohio uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour for small companies, though businesses with annual gross receipts of $372,000 or more have to pay at least $10.10 an hour.

Tipped workers eligible for the $7.25 minimum wage have to take home at least $2.13 an hour in pay from the restaurant, or $5.05 for tipped workers eligible for the $10.10 minimum wage, with the rest made up in tips.

Cooks at Los Mariachis, on the other hand, were paid a straight salary for all 60 of the hours they worked each week, instead of being given an overtime premium of one-and-a-half times their usual hourly wage for hours worked over 40 per week, the DOL said.

The DOL said that Los Mariachis had also failed to keep accurate time and payroll records.

The restaurant was ordered to pay $245,509 in back wages to six servers and 12 cooks.

Los Mariachis didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside of regular working hours.

Matthew Utley, the district director of the DOL's Wage and Hour Division for Columbus, Ohio, said in a statement on Tuesday that the payments would "make a significant difference in the lives of 18 Los Mariachis' workers and their families."

"No server should be forced to work for just tips and $10 per week, and no cook should be paid straight time for 20 hours of overtime," Utley added.

Low wages, lack of benefits, and poor working conditions pushed millions of US restaurant workers to quit their jobs in the wake of the pandemic. Many were laid off as restaurants were forced to close during lockdowns, too.

Employment in the industry has since rebounded and is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, with just over 12 million people working in food services and at drinking places in January, per data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A combination of soaring inflation and changes in the job market has pushed wages up significantly.

According to BLS data, waiters and waitresses in Ohio earned a mean hourly wage of $11.45 an hour as of May 2021. This is the most recent data available.

Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know.

Subscribe to push notifications

EAST CHINA SEA (Nov. 25, 2023) A Wauseon, Ohio native and 2022 graduate of Wauseon High School is serving aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), which is forward-deployed to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan.

Seaman Apprentice Tucker McKean is a Culinary Specialist, also known as a CS. According to The Bluejacket Manuel, CSs manage Navy dining facilities. They maintain food services and prepare meals for all personnel ashore and afloat. McKean said he chose this rate because he loves to cook. He had five years of culinary experience prior to joining the Navy. He worked as a server, line cook, bus boy and host at a couple of high-class restaurants.

“Cooking on a ship is very vital,” McKean said. “We support most of the morale aboard. When a Sailor wakes up in the morning, they are able to get a hot meal to start their day off right. In the evenings, we serve the Sailors who keep us safe while we are sleeping. Without CS’s, the ship would go hungry.”

McKean joined the Navy in January 2022. He has been serving aboard the Rafael Peralta since December 2022, but he has already had many positive experiences. In August 2023, he was asked to sing for some high-ranking Australian, Indian, and American officers during a reception for Exercise Malabar in Australia. The reception featured talents from across the participating commands, such as traditional dance and martial arts demonstrations. He has visited multiple countries this year and is grateful for the opportunity to travel the world.

“I think seeing all these other countries is pretty cool,” McKean said. “Growing up in Ohio, you don’t really see much. Most of the places I’ve seen, not half of them will be seen by the people where I was grown.”

Both of McKean’s parents served in the military, so he said they are proud to see him following in their footsteps. McKean said that he has learned more about cooking through working at this command and seeing others work hard around him motivates him to do the best that he can in his job.

“I like to have a good time while I’m working, so I’m always dancing or singing in the galley,” McKean said. “We also have some new Sailors coming from CS A-school, so I’m hoping I can impart all I have learned from this year onto them.”

Rafael Peralta is forward deployed and assigned to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

Wauseon, OH – Enjoy an afternoon of fun and delicious food as you discover the true adventures of hobos during the Museum of Fulton County’s annual Hobo Day. This free, family event will be held on Saturday, September 30 from 4-7 pm at the Wauseon Depot.

“We love to see families and friends gathering at the historic Wauseon Depot for our annual Hobo Day,” shared John Swearingen, director of the Fulton County Museum.

“This popular fall event is a great opportunity to get together with others in the community for a delicious meal, entertainment, and the chance to learn a little more about our local history.”

Guests of all ages will enjoy exploring the old New York Central Depot, learning about model trains, and listening to live music presented by Tom Silveous.

Railroad author Mark Camp will be sharing stories about the depots of Northwest Ohio and the men who traveled the country by railroad.

Mark is the author of Railroad Depots of Northwest Ohio and many other railroad themed books. He also teaches geology at the University of Toledo and serves as a national director of the Railroad Station Historical Society.

Mark will be speaking at 4:30 pm and will be available to sign books and talk with guests throughout the evening.

A real “Hobo Dinner” will also be served at this community event. Guests can enjoy a delicious meal of sausage, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, corn bread, dessert, and a beverage.

A free will donation of $10 per person is suggested to help cover the expenses of this traditional meal.

“Hobos were unemployed men who travelled across the country looking for work.

With no employment prospects at home, they would take to the rails in search of any job,” Swearingen shared.

“Many hobos would travel for free by jumping on and off the box cars of trains. At the height of the Great Depression, it is estimated that nearly 20,000 men were hobos. These men created their own culture with a unique language and foodways.”

The Wauseon Depot is located at 225 Depot Street in downtown Wauseon. Built in 1896, the depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and currently houses railroad artifacts and a model train display. It served passengers of the railroad until the mid-1970s. The depot is currently owned by the City of Wauseon and is managed by the Fulton County Historical Society.

The Hobo Day is presented annually by the Museum of Fulton County which features the permanent exhibit “Preserving the Past, Embracing the Present, and Making the Future”.

Two special exhibits are also on display through the end of the year – “Meet Me at the Fair” and “Happy Birthday Fayette”.

Other special events planned this year include the Haunting History Tours on October 20 and 21 and the Christmas at the Cabin event on December 8 and 9.

The Fulton County Museum and Legacy Gift Shop are located at 8848 State Highway 108, across from the Fulton County Fairgrounds.

The Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 12-4 pm.

Admission is $8 for adults 16 and up, $7 for seniors, and $3 for children ages 6-15. Members and children under 6 are free.

To learn more about the Hobo Day, other special events, or how to plan a visit to the Museum of Fulton County call 419-337-7922 or visit museumoffultoncounty.org. Additional information is also available on the Museum Facebook and Instagram pages.

Todd Fruth, Transition Services Coordinator for Sara’s Garden, addressed members of CHWC-Montpelier Hospital Auxiliary at the general meeting Monday, November 13^th at 1:00 p.m. in the hospital conference room.

Auxiliary President Armeda Sawmiller opened the meeting leading the auxiliary prayer and introduced Mr. Fruth who spoke on the services offered by Sara’s Garden with offices in Wauseon and Holland, OH.

Originally founded as a facility in Wauseon to treat only children with cerebral palsy with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Sara’s Garden has expanded over the years to include therapy for clients of all ages and conditions, New Horizons Academy campuses in Wauseon and Holland, and Special Grounds Coffee Co. career center in Wauseon.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy assists the body to heal from conditions where low oxygen in tissues restrict or complicate healing processes. Depending on individuals, the number and length of treatments and pressure applied may vary.

These treatments or “dives” may last from 60-90 minutes for one or two sessions a day, with pressure settings from 17-45 feet below sea level, with clients needing 5-40 treatments total.

Many medical conditions such as autism, burns, cancer, ALS, CP, MS, RSD/CRPS, Parkinson’s, stroke, seizures, sports injuries, traumatic brain injury and wound healing all may be treated by this type of therapy.

The Wauseon facility provides two larger chambers for multiple clients at the same time and some individual pods.

New Horizons Academy offers a holistic, all-encompassing education program to pre-school through Grade 12 students with special learning needs. The academy, located on two campuses in Wauseon and Holland, serves 37 school districts in Northwest Ohio.

The mission is to provide high-quality education and empower children with disabilities to reach their full potential. The Hope Center is designated for the younger children. The average ratio of staff to students is one teacher and one aide assigned to five or six students.

Special Grounds Coffee Co. is a career center with in-house vocational training and opportunities for employment for individuals with disabilities.

This full-functional coffee shop is staffed by many special needs high school students, currently totaling 26. Coffee beans are imported from various countries and hand-roasted on-site. Profits are invested into mission organizations, locally and in countries where the coffee beans were grown.

Sara’s Garden employs a staff of 148 at all locations. For more information about Sara’s Garden, please contact the Wauseon office at 620 West Leggett St., or phone 419-335-7272. Following Mr. Fruth’s presentation, he was presented an appreciation gift from the auxiliary.

President Armeda conducted the business portion of the meeting with the thought for the day—“Happiness is like jam. You can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself.” Roll call was answered with “Your favorite food for Thanksgiving”.

Following reports by Secretary Connie Dunseth and Treasurer Joyce Schelling, plans were discussed for the “Lighting the Way to Christmas” Memorial Program on Sunday, December 3^rd at 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 402 Broad St., Montpelier.

Flyers for this free public event are being displayed in the community and on Facebook. Dedication forms for memorial angels and luminaries are available for donations and names of those dedicated will be included in the memorial roster.

These forms must be received by November 27^th to be included in the program. Contact Treasurer Joyce Schelling, ph: 419-459-4696, for more information.

Elaine Willibey reported that 15 walker bags have been sewn and donated for patient use. More bags will be provided as needed. Historian Ruth Cooley has knives from the former gift shop available for donations. Cindy Clark is in charge of patient favors for the month of November.

A card was signed for Vice President Linda Dilworth who was unable to attend. Boxes of candy will be wrapped for Christmas gifts after the next executive board meeting Monday, December 4^th.

The annual Hospital Auxiliary Christmas Luncheon meeting is planned Monday, December 11^th at 12 noon in the fellowship hall at First Presbyterian Church, Montpelier. Reservations are needed by December 4^th by calling President Armeda Sawmiller, ph: 419-485-4567.

The menu will be chicken breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, roll, beverage, and pie. The cost of luncheon is $14.00 per plate. Guests are always welcome. The speaker will be Tara Richmond, an Optometrist from Northwest Ohio Vision Center.

Members are asked to bring a Christmas card for hospital card shower and paper products for donation to the food pantry. Roll call will be “an unusual gift made for someone”.