Stacy Turner

Mantua - Dust off your tiara, because on April 19th to April 21st, you’ll be transported into one of childhood’s best-loved fairy tales. Crestwood High Drama Club will present Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” at the nearby CHS gymnasium, so pumpkin coaches are not required. You’ll be transported as Cinderella,...

Mantua - Scads of kids went to Crestwood Primary School this past Saturday. Yes, they willingly came to school on the first Saturday of spring break, but their motivation was anything but academic. On their minds were eggs, candy, Easter baskets and carnival games -- and they were not...

Mantua - Last Tuesday’s Mantua Village Council meeting marked the momentous occasion of the Village being removed from Fiscal Watch by Nita Hendryx, a representatives from Ohio’s Auditor of State’s Office (ASO). According to Jenny August, Village Clerk-Treasurer, Mantua met the criteria of ‘Fiscal Watch’ at the end of...

Portage County - Now that spring is in the air, outdoor projects are on the top of most people’s minds. The folks at Portage Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) want to share their expertise to help you select the ideal trees and shrubs best-suited for your landscape. By...

Mantua - A recent visitor to the area commented on how much she loved the beauty and small town American charm of the homes, churches and town centers of Northeast Ohio. When I gave her a quizzical look, she explained, laughing, “I live in Tampa, where everything’s new. We...

Mantua - Twenty-five volunteers -- including one Cat in the Hat -- came from four area churches on one evening to help spread a message of family literacy at Crestwood Primary School (CPS). “We’re grateful to be invited into the school. Family Literacy Night is a great way for us...

Hiram - On March 23, a head-shaving fundraiser in honor of this fictitious saint will be hosted by the Hiram Fire Department Fire Fighter Association’s (HFDFFA). So why host an event -- especially one where people lose their hair -- for a fake saint? Because more children are lost...

Fracking has become a hot political and economic issue in Portage County, as more permits are granted and more wells are drilled. For some, however, fracking has also become a religious issue. Grounded in the belief that calls us to be faithful stewards of our planet’s resources, a group...

Did you know that maintaining a successful balance in your pond starts with picking the right species of fish who occupy it? Do you have questions on selecting the right fish for your pond, or how to cultivate the most beneficial aquatic plants? Would you like to hear from...

Hiram Twp.  - As of January, 2013, Kathy Schulda was voted Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Steve Pancost was voted Vice Chairman and Regional Planning Commission Representative. Meeting minutes from the past two meetings were approved, and are now available to view downloaded at the Hiram Township...

Burton - Italian food is one of the most popular ethnic foods in America, and Tim Weiss knows how to make it. With over 15 years of experience, you might say Weiss has marinara in his veins. He started the Italian Garden Restaurant in Garrettsville in 1997. He eventually...

Wikipedia defines community centers as “public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes.” Like many folks in Mantua Township, Ellie Monroe, a long-time resident, would like to see the historic Mantua Center School building effectively used as such...

Streetsboro - Author James Fennimore Cooper is quoted as saying, “The air, the water and the ground are free gifts to man and no one has the power to portion them out in parcels. Man must drink and breathe and walk and therefore each man has a right to...

Mantua - Charlotte’s Web came to life at Crestwood Primary School (CPS) last Thursday. Students, teachers and staff learned that they had “Some School” as they saw their cafeteria transformed into Wilbur’s home at Mr. Zuckerman’s farm.  The menagerie included two sheep, one miniature horse, and one calf, courtesy...

Hiram - Sue Skrovan was sworn in by Hiram Village Mayor Bertrand as the newly appointed Fiscal Officer at the last Village Council meeting. Skrovan, who was officially appointed by a unanimous vote of the Hiram Village Council on December 27, started in her new role on December 28....

I was deeply saddened by the recent news that a Hiram College freshman named Chavonne Chin-Albert, passed away of an apparent suicide. The campus community was notified Saturday via email, prayers were requested for her and her family. Counselors were available to talk with students and the Chapel opened...

According to University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45% of Americans usually ring in the New Year by making resolutions, with the top two goals to lose weight and get organized. Many of those same resolutions are often abandoned or forgotten by the end of January. We’ve got...

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves blasting millions of gallons of water mixed with sand and chemicals into a well to break up shale and allow oil and gas to flow out. The practice has come to Portage County in a big way over the last 18 months, potentially fueling...

Hiram - According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the annual current dollar prices for the 2010-2011 academic year for undergraduate tuition, room and board were estimated to be $13,600 at public institutions and a whopping $36,300 at private institutions. NCES also reports that only one in...

Streetsboro - On Saturday, January 26, at 7:30 P.M., Concerned Citizens - Shalersville, will host Dr. Deborah Cowden, speaking on the Health Impacts of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Dr. Cowden, President of the Greene County Medical Society, currently serves as Clinic Physician at Knox County Health Department in Mount...

Kent - On an unseasonably mild day in December, on a quiet street in Kent, a small group gathered to take a huge step forward for OASIS®Grower Solutions (OGS). While a new greenhouse had been on the minds of many at OGS for several years, the company recently broke...

Our little corner of Northeast Ohio is experiencing a new wave of oil and gas exploration, as new drilling and production technologies make extraction of oil and gas from the shale deposits deep beneath the land more accessible. Over the past 18 - 24 months, energy company “landmen” and...

I understand that breakfast is the most important part of the day. I agree with the theory that a healthy and productive day starts by fueling your body, which kick-starts your metabolism, giving your body the energy it needs to face the day. This idea really has merit, so...

At December’s School Board meeting, the Board voted to approve the revision of the Five-Year Forecast for fiscal years ending in 2017. The forecast is required by law to be submitted to the Ohio Department of Education.  The Board also discussed Strategic Planning for the District, as items in...

Nelson Twp. - January is traditionally a time to make resolutions, with eating healthy, spending more time with family & friends, and helping others topping the list. If you’re looking for some motivation for your own resolutions, or would like to hear about some local folks who’ve managed to...

Portage County - How did a bison named “Gentle Ben” get involved with horizontal fracturing wells? Back in June, Ben’s owner, flight attendant Beckie Dean, had some painting done at her home. At that time, she learned her pilot was having a difficult time convincing his wife to add...

Isn’t it funny how a smell can instantly take you back to a time and a place where you first experienced it? For me, when I smell crayons, I’m six years old, and back-to-school supply shopping. My mom would take me and my platoon of siblings to Kmart, long...

Mantua - The Crestwood Primary School (CPS) PTO hosted lunch with Santa last Saturday at the Historic Mantua Center Elementary School. Nearly 150 people attended, with almost half the number of attendees measured in at less than four feet tall.Shannon Sayre, one of the event organizers stated, “We reviewed...

Mantua - In a letter sent home to Crestwood School District students, Mary Ann Strenk, Director of Curriculum for the District, announced the launch of a program called ‘Safe School Helpline’, an anonymous tip line set up through a partnership between the School District and the Mantua Village Police...

Kent - With over $100 million in new construction nearing completion, downtown Kent is currently undergoing massive redevelopment.  While these revitalization projects have been successful through the cooperation of many, Ron Burbick , a retired executive turned developer, started the ball rolling with an idea he called the ‘Phoenix...