Submitted

Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics will move its recently combined Kent and Ravenna practices to the hospital’s new Portage Health Center June 2. The primary care office will be the first service to open in the new 29,500-square-foot health center, located at 2497 State Route 59 in Ravenna. The pediatrics practice...

On behalf of the Summerfest committee and with deep sadness we have decided to cancel this year’s festival. There were many factors in our decision. One of the main ones is the safety of our festival goers and community.  Another factor was the lack of funds due to the inability...

Portage County District Library (PCDL) is happy to announce that we will be entering the second stage of our return-to-service plan.  On Monday, June 1, patrons were able to schedule times to pick up their holds at all of our branches.  Holds may be placed through our online catalog, or...

Mervin Gene Campbell, 67, of Windham, passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at his residence. He was born on January 4, 1953 in Minden, West Virginia to William and Alma (Reed) Campbell. He proudly served his country as a United States Marine and was a member of the Windham...

Margaret Paul passed away in her Freedom Township home on May 21, 2020 at age of 96. Margaret was the mother of six, grandmother to 19 and great-grandmother to 22. She was born February 21, 1924 at the Lansinger home on Jones Street in Ravenna, Ohio.  Margaret was the third of...

Mike Koval, a long-time coach, educator, and businessman who started and ran Sugar Bush Golf course in northeast Ohio, died May, 6, 2020 in a Veterans nursing home in Daytona Beach, Fla. He was 95 years old. The cause was of natural causes and he passed peacefully in his...

Windham - Windham Exempted Village Schools received a $1,000 grant from United Way of Portage County (UWPC) to help with funding for the food pantry at the Junior-Senior High School that is provided for students and their families. There are multiple staff members and volunteers to help arrange pick-up...

NBC’s hit athletic competition series The Titan Games returns for its second season on Monday, May 25 with a two-hour episode at 8/7c.  This season, the competition breaks down into three regional brackets: West, Central and East. Mantua, Ohio native, Andrew Hanus, will be competing for the East Region for...

There’s a lot of excitement about the future Trail Lake Park on Ravenna Road! The Park District acquired the property on the southern boundary of Herrick Fen State Nature Preserve in Streetsboro thanks to two Clean Ohio Conservation Fund grants and a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, matched...

Fresh, healthy produce is now more affordable in Garrettsville for people shopping with SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps). Garrettsville Farmers’ Market is excited to announce the launch of the Produce Perks program, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match to SNAP customers to spend on fruits and vegetables. The program...

That’s right! We will open our summer season as planned (with some small adjustments) on June 4, 2020! There is much info and many recommendations for COVID-19. Thankfully, farmers’ markets are able to operate under the essential category identified by Governor DeWine and we believe that with added precautions, new...

Patricia K. Jagiella, 85, a resident of Countryside at Elmwood, Hubbard, Ohio, formerly of Newton Falls, passed away Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 7:45 a.m. at Caprice Health Care Center in North Lima. She was born August 29, 1934 in Tulsa, Oklahoma the daughter of the late James and Edna...

Virginia C. Fackler, 85, of Nelson Twp., joined her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. She was born in Hiram, Ohio on March 13, 1935 to Victor and Gertrude (Newcomb) Mason. She was a member of the Nelson Literary Club and Nelson United Methodist Church. Virginia was truly...

The isolation and economic distress caused by the coronavirus pandemic are creating a ripple effect of mental health issues. For individuals fighting addiction, the social isolation and additional stressors may lead to relapse. “Almost all relapses occur when the person is unable to effectively cope with urges or cravings to...

Retired Captain Ricky G. Neal, Sr. 60 passed away Saturday, May 16, 2020 at UH Portage Medical Center in Ravenna. He was born June 3, 1959 in Ravenna to Joseph W. and Anna Mae (Jones) Neal. Ricky served on the Garrettsville Police Department for 23 years with 11 of...

Ravenna  –United Way of Portage County (UWPC) continues to support the needs our community during this health emergency. UWPC and The NEW Center team up to provide dinner for front-line workers in Portage County. The NEW Center at NEOMED was awarded $840 to feed dinner to University Hospital staff...

Hiram College, in partnership with Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), is pleased to announce a new articulation agreement that creates a seamless and sequential progression of academic courses from the associate level to the baccalaureate level for honors students.??  The pathway offers students direct acceptance into Hiram’s Eclectic Scholars program upon...

Ravenna – Portage County Safe Communities, a program of Portage County Health District, reminds all vehicle drivers and all motorcycle riders to “share the road.”  Motorcycle crashes involving another motor vehicle continue accounting for nearly half of all motorcyclist fatalities in the United States. Motorcyclists are inherently at more risk...

The Rotary Club of Garrettsville-Hiram zoomed into action online with the usual suspects in attendance electronically.  Items under discussion included the following :  The status of the summer Snack Pack program remains in flux but G-H Rotary will still be involved.  Grant applications for the district are in the process...

Hiram - With physical distancing recommendations likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future, Hiram College is leveraging its small size and low-density environs to make real-time and future-focused decisions. To promote the health and well-being of its students, as well as the success of the institution, the...

Joseph Michael Kenesky of Windham, age 38, passed away May 2, 2020. He was born on January 12, 1982, in Ravenna to Joseph and Mary Ann (Kume) Kenesky. Joey was an old soul with a kind heart. He would do anything for anyone. He enjoyed many outdoor activities, especially fishing...

Alayna Renee Bretsik, age 3 of Newton Twp laid down her sword against the fight of Neuroblastoma on Wednesday morning, April 29, 2020 at her home. She passed away peacefully in the arms of her mother and father. She was born on Oct. 24, 2016 in Warren, OH the...

South Russell – Geauga Fresh Farmers’ Market will have a new look when it opens for its 18th Season on May 9, the Saturday before Mother’s Day. In keeping with tradition, the market will have a free plant for mothers who attend on Opening Day. However, visitors can expect...

United Way of Portage County (UWPC) has recently began accepting applications to address emerging needs of organizations in the community due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Grant provides funds for non-profit programs and public school districts, making sure they have supplies needed to support the overwhelming...

Beverley J (Metz) Guy 68 years of age went to be with her Lord and savior Monday April 20, 2020.  Beverley was born April 18, 1952 in Weston, West Virginia. She graduated James A Garfield High School in 1971. On March 4, 1972 she married the love of her life...