Staff Reporter

Portage County - Garrettsville resident Charles D. Moore is a new member of the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County. Now retired, Moore worked for the hair care and beauty product company L’Oreal in Solon for 23 years. He started there when it was formerly the Matrix Company...

 Mantua - Rose’s Rescue, a 501c3 pet rescue, was presented with a $285.00 donation by Crestwood Students Angela Spencer, Brandon Houpt, and Jarupat Kannula.  The students formed a group for their Senior Seminar class. They chose the name G.A.I.N. (Giving to Animals in Need). Angela heard about Rose’s Rescue...

Hiram - This week brought unprecedented cooperation for the Hiram community.  For the first time ever, the village and township officials were sworn in at the same ceremony.  The township proudly welcomed its new Fiscal Officer, Stan Carlisle II and Township Trustee, Jack Groselle.  Hiram Village's Mayor Lou Bertrand...

What would you do if you won a million dollars? Maybe buy a fancy house, a sports car, an exotic cruise, the latest tech gadget or entertainment package? When a local teacher posed that question to students recently, she didn’t get all typical responses. More than one said they’d buy groceries...

Geauga County - Start the New Year off right by making your house a Safe and Healthy Home! You don’t have to wait until spring to start your spring cleaning!  Hopefully most of us would never describe our homes as “hazardous”, but many of the products we use every day...

Windham - This year’s economy tried to be the Grinch that stole Christmas for some Windham boys and girls until the employees at Harbison Walker put a damper on the Grinch’s plans. When the employees at the local factory heard there were kids at Windham Katherine Thomas...

Columbus—State Representative Kathleen Clyde announced that the state will help resolve flooding issues on Pierce Road in Nelson Township. The Ohio Public Works Commission has awarded an emergency $76,326 grant to the township. “These funds will purchase a road culvert for a crucial roadway in Nelson Township,” Rep. Clyde...

I sure hope that I get the hang of this “Christmas shopping” thing soon. I always think that I will get a head start on it --August, say--and have gifts all wrapped and ready, tucked away somewhere (Attic? Basement?) so that the holiday rush will be...

Garrettsville – Village Council met on December 14, 2011 for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. Minutes from the November Council Meeting and a motion to pay the current bills were both approved. Revenue, expenditure, cash balance, and income tax reports were reviewed. There was a brief...

Portage County District Library Announces Holiday Hours All offices and branches of Portage County District Library will be closed on the following dates (in observance of the holiday season): December 24, 25, 26, and 31; January 1 and 2.  Visit the Portage County District Library online at www.portagelibrary.org for additional...

Garrettsville - Most folks when they hit their 70’s they are either retired or are planning on it soon but not Don McCullough. Don is still going strong after 60 years of working in the towing business and has no formal plans to retire, although he does admit he...

Newton Falls - Newton Falls VFW Post 3332 recently held its 2011 charitable contributions giveaway.  Over $26,000 was given to 25 local, county, regional and state organizations. VFW members pictured in the front row (left to right)are:  Louis D’Amico, Joe Ball, Ron Widowfield, Pete Price, Bill Smith, Commander Ray...

Ravenna - Vale Edge Hallmark and Florist have to be one of Ravenna’s best- kept secrets, well, at least until now. The store,  located at 247 S. Chestnut Street just southeast of the court house, offers Hallmark items and flowers plus a whole lot more. Owners, Betty and Charlie Lim...

It’s amazing; even with the commercial establishments starting to sneak in a Christmas carol or two on Labor Day and an electronic error causing  “the Little Drummer Boy” to totally take over the sound system at K-Mart for over five hours at a volume level perilously close to torture...

Columbus  –Beginning January 30, 2012, new federal regulations require ALL Commercial Driver License (CDL) holders to self-certify their type of commercial driving. This will be done at the time of issuance or renewal of the CDL. BMV will not begin accepting the self-certification forms until January 30, 2012. Failing to...

Mantua –  Crestwood Primary School first-grade teacher Natalie Harr will depart December 26 for a five-to-six week research trip to Antarctica. Harr will join Dr. Richard Lee, Jr., an extreme entomologist from Miami University, to research a unique Antarctic fly. Lee has traveled to Palmer Station in Antarctica for several...

Welshfield -   The Troy Township Contra Dance will be held January 7th  at the Troy Community House (13950 Main Market Road aka Route 422; Burton, Ohio 44021).  Contra is an easy-to-learn dance that will get your feet moving and cheeks grinning.  Dance to live folk music.  Old Time...

Newton Falls - There are lots of exciting things happening with Home 44444 the Holidays! The Jr and Sr high band and choir concerts will take place on December 10th during Home 44444 the Holidays in Newton Falls.  This event is from 10 am to 4 pm, with the concert...

Bainbridge Township - Dance to the live performance of Blue Lunch at the Bainbridge Swing Dance in Kenston Intermediate School Gymnasium (17419 Snyder Road in Bainbridge Township) on Friday the 6th of January 2012. Blue Lunch features a three piece horn section, upright bass, drums, keyboards, guitar, and harmonica, along...

For your convenience, People Tree has placed collection barrels at the following local business locations: Garrettsville Branch of the Portage County Library Middlefield Banking Company - Garrettsville Branch Huntington National Bank - Garrettsville Branch The Bay Window Miller’s Family Restaurant Cal’s Restaurant Monica’s Restaurant - Windham Rite Aid - Garrettsville Silver Crik Saloon Items needed include non-perishable food, adult...

Newton Falls - Newton Township Cemetery Association members will be at this year's Home44444the Holidays again on December 10th to sell their 2012 calendars which are their fund-raiser for the year. The funds help in the repair and upkeep of the seven township cemeteries. This year’s calendar is a compilation...

Christmas Raffle Tickets On Sale Now The JAG All Sports Boosters are hosting their 2nd annual Christmas Raffle. This year there will be 3 prize categories: 1st Apple iPad 2, 2nd Apple iPod touch, and 3rd $100 cash. The drawing will be held on Dec. 16, 2011 at 1/2time of boys varsity BB...

Tired but triumphant after their successful Reverse Raffle and Silent Auction, the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club moved on to business-as-usual at their 11/14/11 meeting. There was a snapshot of the club’s financial situation (good), continued support for the Power of the Pen activities to be held at the JAG Middle School,...

Garrettsville -  Ever wish you could celebrate the Christmas season with a dash of Halloween and a pinch of St. Patrick's  Day to spice it up? Well, your wish is the command of Sean Varner, proprietor of both Sean's Pub and Slim & Jumbo's sports bar, next-door neighbors on...

The Village of Garrettsville will kick off the holiday season this coming Saturday at 5 pm when the Christmas on Main promotion begins. Christmas on Main is a celebration of the area local businesses and it is a shopping program that promotes buying local. Sponsored by the Garrettsville Area Chamber...

Ravenna -  House of Holiday Ornaments (HO HO) is a long-standing business in Ravenna and has been for more than 14 years, riding out the economic rollercoaster. Owner Barbara Burns said when she originally planned for the shop she was looking for ornaments, hand -carved Santas and Pipka Santas....

In the 11:00 Trio League last week, Ethan Dubasik was on fire.  Ethan tossed a 200 game his first game and then followed it up with 131 and 182 for a 513 series, high for the day.  Ethan was also 120 pins over average for the day.  Danielle Tuttle...

When you’re investing for retirement, it’s best to have time on your side. The sooner you begin investing, the more time your retirement fund has to potentially grow. Case in point Jill begins investing in a retirement account when she’s 30.* She invests $200 a month in the account for 35...

“What makes a rock maple table different from a regular maple table?” The Newton Falls Public Library staff began their investigation in the library’s woodworking books. We found a complete list of various woods with photographs and descriptions in The Complete Manual of Woodworking by Albert Jackson, David Dan...