Start Talking!: Building a Drug-Free Future
Portage County - The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County is working to spread awareness of Ohio’s new program, Start Talking!: Building a Drug-Free Future. Found at starttalking.ohio.gov, the website is for parents and teachers. It is aimed at helping adults learn how to start the conversation with teens and children about drug abuse. “Portage County is among many...
A ground-breaking!
Garrettsville - Six shiny, brand-new TRUPER shovels. Hard hats. A pile of dirt brought in and lined up especially for the occasion. Students, educators & administrators, township trustees, construction officials dignitaries interested citizens. Photo opportunities—with or without dirt—of all sorts. A backdrop of soil on the move, big machines, flagged stakes, safety fencing, a changing façade of the elementary...
Portage County District Library Events
Registration for “Fizz, Boom, Read!” at the Library Begins May 28 The Portage County District Library announces that summer reading club registration begins on Wednesday, May 28 at most branch libraries. Join us for “Fizz, Boom, Read!” at your branch library this summer. There are activities planned for all age groups. The theme for this year is related to science,...
GarrettsvilleStrong Softball Team Wins Tournament
Akron - The Garrettsville Strong charity softball team won the North Akron 2nd Annual Spring Warm up and raised over $1,000 (including fund raising uniform t-shirts by the Villager), and still counting, for the Gville fire fund!! The donations will be made in the name of Garrettsville Youth Softball and the Ohio Outlaws to the Garrettsville Strong fund. Great job...
Limited Edition Garrettsville Mugs Raise Funds for Rebuild Effort
Garrettsville - This view of Garrettsville is especially important to ceramic artist Missy Steele who moved from Garrettsville to Pittsburgh when she was 18, but still has family is still here. “This is where I did most of my growing up, and this is where I return for holidays and special occasions. Honestly, it’s the place I still call...
GarrettsvilleStrong Fund Status Announced
Garrettsville – At Wednesday’s meeting of the Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors provided a fund status report for the fund. Erika Frankel, Treasurer, announced that as of May 6, 2014 the GarrettsvilleStrong fund stood at $46,370. This number reflected the total amount deposited as of the meeting date, and did not include anticipated deposits not...
PeopleTreeStrong!
Garrettsville - There will be a benefit concert in conjunction with an art and craft silent auction on Saturday, May 17 from 6:30 to 9:00 at the Garrettsville United Methodist Church. The goal of the People Tree's fire fund is to aid those merchants and employees affected by the March 22 downtown fire in Garrettsville. Featured for the evening will...
A Look at the Upcoming Campus of Excellence
Garrettsville – Last December the James A. Garfield Local School District was awarded a $5 Million State of Ohio Straight A Fund Grant. The funds from this grant have been used to create a “Campus of Excellence” our community can be proud of for generations to come enhancing education for local school children, and expanding opportunities within our community. As...
The 8th Count Dance Center “Mobs” Garrettsville
Garrettsville - In honor of National Dance Week, the 8th Count Dance Center participated in the nation-wide dance flash mob and “mobbed” their city. This past Sunday afternoon, the 8th Count Dance Center Dancers and their families learned the routine that all the studios were using for Dance Week. Miss Emily took time to learn the dance and then...
Think Local: Waterfall Antiques & Collectibles
Garrettsville - For over twenty years, husband & wife team Nelson and Judy Bisard have owned and operated one of the area’s premier destinations for antiquities and collectible items. Their multi-dealer shop, Waterfall Antiques & Collectibles, carries a general line of antiques and collectibles, including furniture, accessories, glassware, pottery, jewelry, kitchen items, Victorian smalls, cranberry glass, coins, toys, dolls...
Elementary Students Thank Garfield PTO
Garrettsville – Gym Teacher Mark Rado and his students expressed their appreciation to the James A. Garfield PTO, which recently donated a rock-climbing wall to the Elementary School for use during gym classes. Spanning the width the gymnasium, this multicolored climbing wall will provide Garfield students fun new opportunities to be physically active while having a great time.
Garrettsville Strong Team Raising Funds for Rebuilding
Garrettsville - We are proud to announce that Garrettsville Youth Softball and the Ohio Outlaws have put together a team of local 12u and out of town players to raise money for the rebuilding of the businesses lost in the fire in Garrettsville a few weeks ago. We have 7 Garrettsville girls, 4 Crestwood, and 3 out of towner’s...
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Report
Garrettsville - April 14 ~ Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club moves to new location, time. Beginning on April 21, the club will be trying out a change to meeting at noon in Cal’s II to accommodate today’s busier schedules and altered commercial circumstances. Give it a try. The president-elect, Delores McCumbers spoke of her visit to the Kent club to observe proceedings...
Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys…and Girls!!!
Rally ‘Round the Flag, Boys…and Girls!!! This is no time to be falling into disputes that could derail the downtown reconstruction efforts before they get truly off of the ground. #GarrettsvilleStrong has been up front about the purpose of the financial efforts being made from the very beginning. It’s all about rebuilding, moving on, emerging bigger and better than ever before. ...
Garrettsville was Feastin’ and Groovin’ for #GarrettsvilleStrong
Garrettsville - It has been 30 days since the historic Buckeye Block of Garrettsville was engulfed in flames and reduced to a pile of rubble. The tragic event birthed #GarrettsvilleStrong which is raising funds to ensure the historic block is rebuilt. Weekly, there have been various groups that have registered and are holding events to raise money to rebuild...
Grant Projects Are “On Schedule”
Garrettsville - The Straight A Grant from the state provided the James A. Garfield Schools with some exceptional opportunities. With these exceptional opportunities came exceptional challenges. The district remains on a very tight timeline required by the grant. All funds must be committed by June 30, 2014 and spent by September 30, 2014. Those funds not spent must be...
Register Today for the 28th Annual Sugar Bush Golf Classic
Garrettsville - Tee off with Hattie Larlham on May 21, 2014 for the 28th Annual Sugar Bush Golf Classic. Please join us out on the green at the Sugar Bush Golf Club in Garrettsville for a fun and relaxing day of golf, contests and prizes with the ultimate goal of raising funds for Hattie Larlham. Since 1986, the annual...
Beyond the Blue Ribbon: Tracey Garrett’s Top Tier Pastry Earns National Acclaim
Garrettsville - Tracey Garrett is putting Garrettsville under the national spotlight… and it has nothing to do with the fact that she shares her last name with the village’s pioneer founder. Garrett — a pastry chef who owns and operates Top Tier Pastry from her home on Zupancic Drive — was one of five signature chefs nationwide selected to...
All Star Showcase Simply Amazing!
Garrettsville - If you weren’t at Iva L. Walker Auditorium on Friday, you missed one amazing benefit show produced by PMG Chocolatier. Between the tickets for the show, a 50/50 raffle, and the 94 gift baskets raffled during the show, over $6,400 was raised for the #GarrettsvilleStrong fund. Thank you Ed, Perry, Ted, Shanelle, Michelle, and the countless studios and...
Garrettsville Summerfest Announces Idol Semi-Finalists
Garrettsville - This past Sunday, over 70 contestants competed in a closed audition, hoping to keep their dreams alive of becoming the next Garrettsville Idol. This was one of the largest competitions they have had in recent years and the judges, Danny Deakins, Wendi Brown and Jackie Rinearson were given the difficult task of selecting those who would move...
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Garrettsville - On Monday night over sixteen concerned Portage County residents gathered for the first of many community meetings with the Portage County Drug Task Force. Led by Village Councilwoman Becky Harrington the meeting was a “barebones” version of the presentation delivered at a special meeting in Nelson Township on April 10th (coverage on page 6 in this week's...
Brigadoon is a Smashing Success
Garrettsville - This past weekend the cast and crew of Brigadoon’s hard work paid off, as they did four nearly sold-out performances of the musical over the weekend. The musical was under the direction of Joe Gaither. Last December, they held auditions for the musical and Megan Ryser landed the part of Fiona MacLaren, while Griffen Young landed the men’s...
“Love the Dress” Makes Prom More Affordable
Garrettsville - The James A. Garfield Sports Boosters held the first ever “Love the Dress” prom dress sale at the high school on Sunday April 6, 2014. The sports boosters were able to collect new and nearly new dresses and then resold them at a fraction of the price they originally sold for, making prom more affordable for many....
The Mishler Miracle
Garrettsville - So that the Mishlers may gain a respite from questioning, here’s the skinny on the only structure left totally standing after the “Buckeye Block Fire” on March 22. It was constructed in the 1920’s or ‘30’s as a replacement for an earlier building—wooden, 2-storey, adjacent to the Buckeye Block—which burned ( Fire was fairly common in those days,...
Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard Open For Business
The Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard has resumed normal operations on Monday, April 7th at our their facility. The Cupboard is located at 12157 State Route 88 near the intersection of Route 88 and Ely Rd. Clients can visit the Cupboard anytime during regular hours; Monday 3:00pm-6:00pm or Wednesday 9:00am-12:00noon.
#GarrettsvilleStrong Fundraiser Spotlight
This weeks upcoming fundraisers geared towards rebuilding downtown Garrettsville. Fish Fry to Benefit Fire Victims April 11th: Join us for a Friday Fish Fry with fresh-cut fries and coleslaw. All-You-Can-Eat is $11; Adults $8; Seniors $6; Kids (4-10) $4. The proceeds will help support #GarrettsvilleStrong and the Nelson-Garrettsville Community Food Bank. April 4th and 11th, serving from 4:00 to 8:00pm. Carry-out,...
Garrettsville FD Press Release: Historic District Fire
At 1: 15 PM on Saturday, March 22nd, The Village of Garrettsville suffered a fire of catastrophic proportions involving the historical area known as the Buckeye Building, situated on Main Street, in the heart of downtown Garrettsville. Garrettsville's ladder truck. one pumper/tanker, and one tanker were all on scene and beginning fire suppression within six minutes of dispatch alerting...
Cut & Pedi-thon Raises Funds For Rebuilding Garrettsville
Rachel King and her team of stylists at Facet Salon & Day Spa held a “Cut & Pedi – thon” last Saturday to raise money to help rebuild Garrettsville’s historic district. The salon was thrilled to announce that they had exceeded their goal of $1,000, and would be donating $1,260 to the GarrettsvilleStrong fund at the Garrettsville Area Chamber...
Where Are they Now? Burned-Out Businesses Scramble to Resume Operations
Garrettsville - “We are committed to to staying in Garrettsville and going back to Main Street when we can.” These are the words of Dan Myers, who owned and operated New Hearing Sales & Services from 8115 Main Street until fire destroyed it and nearly every other business from Center Street to High Street in a historic blaze on March...
Brewing For The Future
Garrettsville - Main Street Grille & Brewing Company’s Brewmaster Mike Mallone (left), and Head Brewer Brian Koptis (right) are brewing a special GarrettsvilleStrong Pilsner. The beer goes on sale April 26th at $5 glass. 100% of proceeds benefit the GarrettsvilleStrong fund established to aid reconstruction of the block of shops and offices lost to the fire that ravaged Garrettsville’s...