Staff Reporter

Hiram - In March, the Hiram Fire Department took delivery of a new Scott Thermal Imager Camera as part of a NOPEC grant, written by Hiram Township Trustee Chairman Steve Pancost.  The camera’s cost was $9,600 and was given to the Fire Department by the Township to carry on-board...

Garrettsville - Anyone fortunate enough to snag a golden ticket to James A. Garfield High School’s musical theatre production of  “Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” had a simply nutterrific time. The four-day run of the show was virtually sold out before opening night on April 7, and only...

Newton Falls - Last Saturday evening the parking lot at Roby Lee’s Restaurant and Banquet Center was filled with dozens of vehicles driven by firefighters and policemen. Don’t worry, there was no emergency. Rather, firefighters, EMTs, friends and family members from the Newton Falls Joint Fire District gathered at...

Windham Twp. - Windham Township Trustees met for this April meeting with all trustees and the fiscal officer present. The first item on the agenda was guest recognition. Fire Chief Mike Iwanyckyj asked to address the trustees. The chief stated that the fire department had received a notice that...

Chardon - We are fascinated by medieval times.  The Middle Ages remain a time of mystery and revelation.  There are groups today that continue to investigate that period and share it with others.  One of those groups is the Society For Creative Anachronism.  It is an international non-profit organization...

Burton - On May 4, from 6 - 8  p.m. come in and learn successful high school-to-college transition strategies for young people with disabilities.  Find out the five key transition skills that you need to have, know the differences between high school and college, eligibility requirements and accommodation descriptions. ...

The QuizMasters/Academic Challenge Team of James A. Garfield High School is again sponsoring this activity in conjunction with the Garrettsville Chamber of Commerce Community-Wide Garage/Yard Sale. Sunday, May 22 from 10:00 to 2:00 in the Garfield Elementary School parking lot there will be wheeled vehicles of all sorts–ambulances and...

The Ohio House of Representatives approved legislation co-sponsored by State Representative Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) to change the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) to the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).  This change will reflect the university’s updated curriculum and will come at no additional cost to the state. “NEOUCOM...

Garrettsville - It’s time to start cleaning out your closets, garages and attics! The Garrettsville Community-Wide Garage Sale will be held on May 21st and 22nd this year. This Chamber sponsored event always draws a crowd from surrounding communities – you know what they say, one man’s trash is...

Vendors Needed For Burton Saturday’s In Country Register Now The Burton Chamber Of Commerce is sponsoring Saturdays In The Country. We are looking for artisans, quality crafters, antique dealers, farm market and bake sale vendors. This is not a flea market.  Pre-registration only.  For more info and registration form, contact Donna Cook,...

Ravenna – My LifePlan®, an emerging provider of emergency services,   announced  the release of its Intelligent Survival InitiativesTM (ISI).  A first in disaster response, ISI is designed to provide proactive intelligent information services for emergency and large-scale disasters. My LifePlan’s® Intelligent Survival Initiatives provides solutions for: • Gathering and updating life-critical...

Garrettsville - James A. Garfield senior baseball standout Brandon Baumgardner’s favorite song is “Lights Out” by P.O.D. It is no wonder the first game of the season Brandon was exactly that... LIGHTS OUT. When the lefty took the mound last Thursday at Waterloo little did Brandon know he was on...

Ravenna - On April 12, the Portage County Commissioners hosted an Open House followed by an evening meeting.  The event was held to commemorate National County Government Month.  Several county offices and departments participated.  The Woodlands at Robinson (county nursing home) offered free blood pressure  checks. ...

Garrettsville - OPENING NIGHT for J.A. Garfield’s performance of “Willy Wonka” is Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and senior citizens.  House doors will open 30 minutes prior to show start time. Pictured above are the cast and crew of “Willy...

The 2011 James A. Garfield Hall of Fame slate is completed by two young men a decade apart who displayed their talent and teamwork in several venues and at several levels. Matt Paul, class of ‘85, earned letters in golf (3), basketball (3) and baseball (4);football only got one year...

CHAMPION, Ohio – The Champion High School Relays have become an annual event for the J. A. Garfield G-Men high school track & field team.  Last week, the Berkshire High School track & field team joined the fun on a blustery, yet sunny afternoon. Garfield and Berkshire hold a lot...

You missed it!  You missed the LAF/SOMe bus trip to the Dunham Tavern Museum and the West Side Market.  What a hoot! The museum was neat; it’s an oasis of green on concrete and steel Euclid Ave. With the main building, a reconstructed log cabin, a barn suitable for larger...

In the 9:00 Trio League, Ashleigh Quiggle had high series for the day with 378.  Ashley rolled two games of 138.  High game for the week was rolled by Adam Norris, a 156, beating his career high game score that was set only two weeks ago.  Joey Ewell was...

Windham - For its final meeting before the summer break, the Windham Historical Society presents a free talk from local historian George Belden, who will speak on “Windham in the Civil War” on Monday, April 18, at the Windham American Legion, Post 674. Using the 1866 monument on the village...

Newton Township - Last week a train going through Newton Falls at about 7:00 in the early morning went off its track as it passed through the heart of the town. Approximately twelve hours later, half past 7:00pm, emergency responders had the wreckage under control and the town attempted...

Garrettsville - Anna Brigham is a freshman at James A. Garfield Schools who is not a typical teenager. She is active in her church, on the Garfield bowling team, bowls youth bowling, merit roll student, a contestant in Garrettsville Idol and collects pop and beer can tabs.  She loves...

Mantua – The Ides of March were very kind to Crestwood Local Schools and its taxpayers. Looking for ways to save money, Crestwood Local Schools refinanced their bonds on March 15 for their two elementary schools and will see a $550,000 savings over the remaining life of the bonds. “We’ve...

Garrettsville - Did you enjoy 2010 SummerFest in Garrettsville last year? Well, if you did, did you know that the SummerFest committee has two fundraisers that help pay for the event? The committee will once again hold a car raffle along with T-shirt and hoodie sales to fund the...

Produce Vendors Needed Register Now The Garrettsville Curtains up Theatre is planning their 2011 Farmers Market. They are currently looking for PRODUCE vendors.  Please contact Jackie Loreta-Rinearson at 216-375-0709 or email her at rinearson05@frontier.com. The market will be held Wednesdays from late July through early October. Other vendors selling edible products are...

Burton – UN declarations and Presidential proclamations have made April 2 World Autism Awareness Day. According to President Obama’s proclamation, autism spectrum disorders or ASDs currently affect nearly one percent of children in the US; the statistics vary, but some numbers say that 1 in 110...

Portage County - Recently, residents in the Hiram-Garrettsville-Nelson  area received an automated phone call from the Portage County Sheriff’s Department. The pre-recorded message alerted residents to be on the lookout for a 12-year-old boy who had been reported missing earlier in the day, and to call the Sheriff’s Department...

Windham - RIF (Reduction in Force) has become the buzzword of the community and throughout the school district as the administration of Windham School looks to reduce staff as they wait on the impending governor’s proposed budget. The anticipated cuts are expected to be deep and in the small...

Geauga County - Maple Max has had one exciting year! He was officially “born” last March after an extensive contest had local elementary school students submitting possible names for the new Geauga County Tourism ambassador. Madison Wilson, from Newbury Elementary School submitted the name Maple Max and it was...

“Consider the ladies”...as First Lady Abigail Adams wrote to her destined-to-be-second-U.S.-President John Adams when he was one of the patriots, politicos and visionaries laboring to write a constitution for the new nation, the United States of America. Mrs. Adams didn’t have a whole lot of luck at influencing the direction...

Garrettsville - The James A. Garfield Historical Society looked ahead  to:  possible future programs, attendance at the Portage County Historical Society local history societies forum on March 26, a committee to  make costume selections for the vintage pix opportunity to be offered at the SummerFest, a backdrop for said...