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Portage Foundation Accepting Grants And Scholarship Applications
The Portage Foundation will begin accepting grant and scholarship applications now through April 16, 2021. On-line applications for grants and scholarships are available at: https://portagefoundation.org/grants-and-scholarships/.
“We are thrilled with the individuals that established endowed grant funds and scholarships at the Portage Foundation” says Debbie Smeiles, president. “Because of their support,...
Upcoming Community Events | March 5, 2021
JAG Kindergarten RegistrationPre-register Today!James A. Garfield Kindergarten Class of 2034It’s time to pre-register for Kindergarten if your child will be 5 years of age by August 1, 2021. You must pre-register by going to our website, www.jagschools.org. Click on Menu, scroll down to the Final Forms link to pre...
Ravenna City Council Creates Permanent Solution for On-Line Meeting Accessibility
Ravenna - Beginning on Monday, March 1, Ravenna City Council moved all meetings to “Cisco Meeting” using the permanently installed camera system in Council Chambers. Meetings can continue to be viewed by the public via the Ravenna City Council YouTube channel.
“When the pandemic hit, we moved all meetings to...
No Pancakes For You…
Garrettsville - After careful consideration and correspondence from the Portage County Health Department, the Garrettsville Farmers’ Market and the Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard have decided to postpone their annual pancake breakfast fundraiser which was slated to begin this Sunday and run through March.
While this decision saddens them, the board...
Thank You From The Portage County Senior Center
Dear Portage County 4H members, and friends of the community,
I cannot express enough the happiness you have brought to our Portage County Seniors during our recent “Valentine’s/Birthday” drive-thru event. With the help of Portage County Extension 4H coordinator Ashley Hughey, you all really made a difference in the lives...
It’s Winter – So Where Are the Bees?
Honey bees overwinter in social togetherness inside their hives, keeping each other warm. But most bees are solitary or at least have a solitary part of their life cycle – how do they survive all alone through the deep freeze of Ohio winters? How can we help them hibernate...
Wanda “Meme” McMillan of Kent, OH
Wanda “Meme” McMillan, 84, of Kent, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021, at UH Portage Medical Center. Wanda was born on June 18, 1936 in Bell Town, TN.
Wanda was a very loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was loved by many, a long standing member of Lake...
Home Instead In Search of Caregivers
Ravenna - At Home Instead, we believe that being a caregiver is the most special gift you can give to another. Aging seniors want to remain as independent as possible, yet their loved ones worry about their safety, emotional well - being and health. As a Home Instead CAREGiver...
Messages From Mother Nature: Aliens or Owls?
Let us set the stage…it is late January; you are lying in bed tossing and turning. It is 2am, wind howling, snow blowing, and it is hovering around zero outside. It is so miserable outside; you think of the old saying “it’s not fit for man nor beast”. Suddenly...
Dorothy Naomi Walker of Wellington, OH
Dorothy Naomi Walker, 100 ½, of Wellington Township, Ohio, quietly, but contentedly passed away on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at her Walnut Valley Farm home, where she lived and made countless memories for almost 75 years. Born on May 21, 1920 in Pittsfield Township, Ohio, she was one of...
PCDL Reopens to Public Again
Portage County District Library (PCDL) is pleased to announce its doors will reopen to the public again on Monday, February 8. There will still be enforcement of one-hour time limits for patrons inside our branches, and occupancy limits- based on the size and layout of buildings (will vary from...
Reed Memorial Library Open for Browsing
Ravenna - The Reed Memorial Library Board of Trustees recently voted to broaden access to library services, no longer requiring an appointment and making materials directly accessible once again. “We are going back to the “grab-and-go library model we adopted in June,” explained Library Director, Brian C. Hare.
Library patrons...
Child Find Awareness
Garrettsville - Child Find is an effort by the Ohio Department of Education, Office for Exceptional Children, to ensure all children from birth to 21 with disabilities are identified, located, and evaluated as required by the individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Ohio school districts, serving ages...
Portage County Administration Building Reopens; Treasurer’s Office Remains Closed
Ravenna – Portage County Commissioners reopened the County Administration Building to the public beginning Jan. 25, 2021 from 8 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday.
Offices under the direction of the Commissioners were advised to bring back staffing from when the COVID-19 pandemic moved operations remotely.
Board of Commissioners President...
Portage CIT Officers of 2020
The Mental Health & Recovery Board is proud to announce the 2020 Crisis Intervention Team Officers of the Year awarded by the Portage County Police Chief’s Association: Officer Josh Bartholomew, Streetsboro PD; Officer Matthew Butcher, Kent City PD; Officer Scott Krieger, Ravenna PD.
The officers were recognized for practicing the...
Portage County Health District starts vaccinating Portage County residents in Phase...
This week, Portage County residents aged 80 and older are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine. To be placed on the Portage County Health District (PCHD) vaccine scheduling list, go to the PCHD website at www.portagehealth.net and click on the COVID-19 tab in the green banner at the top of...
GCPL Offering Tours of Bainbridge Branch Set to Open in Early...
Geauga County – We are excited to announce that our new Bainbridge Branch is near completion and scheduled to open on February 1st.
Before opening to the public, GCPL will be offering a series of sneak preview tours in small groups of five people maximum. We invite you to join...
2021 Sportmen’s Dinner benefits Haven of Portage County
The ninth annual Sportsmen’s Dinner will be held Jan. 30 at Portage Community Chapel, 6490 S.R. 14, Ravenna. This year’s event will be a hybrid event—both an in-person and virtual experience. We want everyone to experience the event in a way that works best for them.
This event, for anyone...
COVID-19 Vaccine distribution for Phase 1B populations to begin in Portage...
In conjunction with Ohio’s statewide efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to Ohioans in Phase 1B starting the week of January 19, Portage County Health District and Portage County Emergency Management Agency are partnering to lead the vaccination efforts. The combined knowledge and decades of planning and training will allow...
Portage United Way Accepting Grant Applications for Income Focused Programs
Ravenna - United Way of Portage County (UWPC) invests funds raised during its annual campaign through a volunteer led review and recommendation process. Grant Review Volunteers engage in a process that matches community needs with evidence based best practices and program interventions. Volunteers review applications and make COVID-19 compliant...
January is National Mentoring Month
At its most basic level, mentoring helps because it guarantees a young person that there is someone who cares about them. (Mentoring.org)
What a simple statement. And this basic level is where each one of our match relationships begins. Building a friendship. The volunteer showing that the youth can depend...
2021 Wild Hikes Challenge: Celebrating 30 years as Portage Park District
The Portage Park District is pleased to present the Wild Hikes Challenge, a program designed to encourage healthy recreation in our parks and trails while showcasing Portage County’s rich natural heritage that we are working to conserve. In 2021, we challenge you to complete either 30 hikes or 30...
Portage County DD Board Honors Hattie Larlham Employee with Community Service...
Mantua – Hattie Larlham employee Maggie Wooten has been selected as a recipient of the Earl and Mary Lohr Community Service Award presented by the Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities. This award recognizes high-performing professionals and engaged citizens in the developmental disabilities services field.
Award recipients have a known...
PARTA Awarded $40,000 Grant
Kent – Thursday, December 17, 2020 – PARTA has been awarded a $40,000 grant to study needed improvements along State Route 59 in Franklin Township, between Horning Road and State Route 261, to benefit transit, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic.
The grant was unanimously approved by the Akron Metropolitan Area...
People Tree Sharing Program Gives Thanks!
What a year 2020 has been. The needs in our community have never been greater and the generosity of our community rose to meet the challenge. Wednesday, Dec 9 saw a drive thru distribution of Christmas gifts, food, personal items and coats at the Faith Free Evangelical Church on...
Margaret “Peggy” Kristoff-Gancs of Garrettsville, OH
Margaret “Peggy” Kristoff-Gancs, 63, of Garrettsville went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, December 20, 2020. She was born May 7, 1957 in Ravenna, Ohio to the late Francis “Andy” and Evelyn (Price) Metz.
She graduated from James A Garfield High School in 1976. Peggy worked at...
Mary J. Stevens of Freedom Twp., OH
Mary J. Stevens (Judy), 80, of Freedom Township, was called to her eternal resting place on December 18, 2020. She entered this world on October 12, 1940 in Warren, OH, born to Dillion and Catherine Phelps.
She loved to swim and loved teaching children to swim. She loved her grandchildren...
Supporting each other in grief
Our community recently suffered a tragic loss of young life. The board extends sympathy to the families and friends of those involved in this incident. We also recognize that many other people in our community have experienced loss throughout the year and wish to offer support and comfort to...
Main Street Ravenna Announces a Virtual Winter Writing Festival for 2021
Ravenna - If you love to write or think you might like to write, join us Saturdays in February for a virtual version of the “Winter Writing Festival’’! Due to the pandemic, Main Street Ravenna and Reed Memorial Library have had to make changes to this fun event for...
Treasurer Announces Portage Property Tax Collection Processes For Winter 2021
Ravenna – With winter property tax collection season fast approaching, Portage County Treasurer Brad Cromes provided an update today to his office’s pandemic operations plan.
As has been the case since the COVID-19 outbreak began, the Treasurer’s Office will not accept in-person tax payments this winter. “While we are excited...
