JA Garfield Board Adopts Re-opening Plan
The JA Garfield Board of Education met on Monday evening to approve the reopening plan for the 2020-2021 school year.Teams of staff members have worked together to create a reopening plan that will get students back in school with extensive safety measures in place. The reopening plan implements best practices which were recommended by experts including, but not limited...
ODA Asks Ohioans to Send in Unsolicited Seeds
After increasing reports of Ohio citizens receiving packages of unsolicited seeds in the mail, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is again urging the public to report and submit any unsolicited seed packets to ODA. In partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine Office, ODA is...
Local Family Remembers Loved One While Supporting Others
Each year, local quilter Nora Brant has created a beautiful quilt in honor of her daughter, Meghan, who passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 26. Each year, that gorgeous creation is raffled off, with proceeds used to increase awareness, fund education and ovarian cancer research, and provide scholarships. Since 1997, Brant has used her skills to...
PCDL Reopens to the Public
Portage County District Library (PCDL) is pleased to announce that we have reopened our doors to the public. There will be a number of necessary changes to the way that our libraries operate. We will be enforcing time limits for patrons inside our branches, with visits capped at one hour. We will also be limiting the number of patrons allowed...
Windham Residents File Referendum Over Ordinance Changes
Windham - Earlier this year, on March 24, 2020, Windham Village Council passed Ordinance O-2020-3, amending section 505.15. The ordinance prohibits farm animals, exotic animals, reptiles, or other pets, except dogs, cats, household birds, other creatures indigenous to the area or other creatures exhibited as part of a duly recognized circus show. No person shall keep or harbor within...
Program Pairs Local Youth with Local Businesses
Garrettsville - Ty’Shaun Caples and his sisters live with their grandmother in Windham. Two years ago, when his grandmother suffered a heart attack, then 16-year-old Ty’Shaun wanted to get a summer job to help support his family. At an event at Windham High School, where he was a student, he learned about a special job program offered through Portage...
Windham Fire Board News
Windham - Windham Joint District Fire Board met for their regularly scheduled meeting with one board member unavailable. The fire board approved the expenditures, the minutes, and the bank reconciliation before moving on to the Chief’s Report.Chief Rich Gano reported that there were 318 calls to date (06/30/2020). There were 41 EMS calls and one fire call. Three of...
Mantua’s Newest Mural Is Complete
If you’ve driven through Mantua, you’ve no doubt seen the colorful mural taking shape in the heart of the historic village this summer. On a gorgeous evening last weekend, the mural completion was officially celebrated by a socially distant gathering of some of those who helped make it possible. “It’s official. The mural is completed!” marveled local photographer and mural...
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Report
Karen Bordonaro, assistant district governor for Rotary District 6630, zoomed into the July 13, 2020 meeting of the Rotary Club of Garrettsville-Hiram. Here’s what she was able to see and hear: There was a review of the letter to be going out to prospective ( and long-time reliable) sponsors of the annual Reverse Raffle in light of the current Covid-19...
Red Cross needs local volunteers to help respond to disasters due to COVID-19
While summer is a time to enjoy the weather and spend quality time outdoors, it is also a time for disasters. Here in Northern Ohio, summer means severe storms and tornados. During COVID-19, the American Red Cross has also seen an increase in local disasters, such as home fires, due to more people staying at home. In addition, experts...
Public Comment Needed At July 23 Online Meeting For County Mitigation Plan Update
The Portage County Hazard Mitigation Plan is due for updating. The Hazard Mitigation Plan addresses threats from potential hazards and identifies possible strategies and projects to reduce the impacts, protect people and property and reduce or eliminate long-term risk.It is necessary to update the Plan every five years so that the county and participating communities remain eligible for pre-disaster...
NEOMED Giving Day Pushes Blue Fund to Record Results
Rootstown – The generosity of the Northeast Ohio Medical University community once again shined through as a total of $118,802 was raised from 195 donors during the University’s annual Giving Day, a 24-hour period that kicked off at noon, Tuesday, June 23 and lasted through noon, Wednesday, June 24. The funds are added to NEOMED’s Blue Fund, the University’s annual...
Forage & Feather Collective Coming Soon
Mantua - The Village of Mantua is experiencing resurgence as storefronts are renovated and new tenants bring their wares and new life to the historic small town. Soon, another new shop will hang a shingle, offering yet another option in shopping local, in a natural new way.Forage + Feather: an Artisan Collective will be coming to the historic Mantua...
Windham Township News
Windham Township - Trustee Brian Miller reported that Windham Township road crew has finished up the ditching for now, took care of the eight clean outs on Bryant Road, removed stumps from the ditch and will soon start patching the roads. The workers also continue to mow the cemetery and will be getting ready to mow the roadsides a...
Hiram Village News
Hiram - At the last Council meeting, resident Brenda Smith voiced her desire for the Village to review policies and training for Village employees regarding racial equality in light of recent events. Stating her desire to “open a dialogue”, she asked what Hiram is doing now to stand up for racial equality. She noted disappointment that citizens we not...
YOU Can Be a SUPERHERO
The American Red Cross is asking the public to be a superhero for patients by donating blood or platelets now to help address an urgent need for donors as COVID-19 continues to cause unprecedented blood collection challenges across the country. As a special thank-you, those who come to give blood or platelets in July will automatically be entered for a...
34th Annual Sugar Bush Golf Classic to benefit Hattie Larlham to be held August 17th
Held annually since 1986, the Sugar Bush Golf Classic to benefit Hattie Larlham has become a much-anticipated tradition! The outing is a scramble-type tournament with two rounds: morning or afternoon. Golfers enjoy a day on the links, as well as breakfast or lunch and an awards dinner at Sugar Bush Golf Club in Garrettsville, one of Ohio’s top public...
BBBS Cancels 2020 Golf Outing
The 2020 Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Outing has been cancelled due to the coronavirus. The annual golf outing event was successful due to the amazing support received not only from the golfers but from small local businesses, from the golf course, to restaurants, car repair, manufacturing, transportation, on and on to all of you reading this message. We realize...
Mantua Village News
Mantua - At the last Council meeting, residents Brian Perkins and Kim Ule requested that Council consider allowing an abbreviated Potato Festival this year, in light of Covid-19 event cancellations. In anticipation of eased State restrictions, Perkins and Ule proposed that an event would take place on one day during the usual time period (the weekend after Labor Day)....
UPDATED: Megan Dye Was Located in Cincinnati on July 10
Update: Megan Dye was safely located by the US Marshal Service in Cincinnati. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Kent Police Department in Ohio are searching for this missing 17-year-old girl.Megan Dye vanished from Kent, Ohio on July 8, 2020. Megan was last seen in Tannery Park in Kent, and her belongings have been found there...
Ehresman Is Celebrating 102!!
Grace Shively Ehresman, now of Ravenna, is celebrating her 102nd Birthday! Grace was born on July 3, 1918 at home in Edinburg to Blanche and Orrie Shively. She had one sister, Ethel (Shively) Porter and one brother, Paul Shively. They moved to Windham on Rt. 303 when she was 3 years old. (The house they lived in is still...
Mantua Police Department Recipient of GEA4HEROES Program
Mantua - The Mantua Police Department would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to GE Appliances (GEA), for their recent award to our agency. The Mantua Police Department submitted an application to the “GEA4Heroes” program, which sought to provide first responder agencies, or their employees, with new appliances in the battle with COVID-19 and other...
Hiram Police Continually Working to Better our Community
Hiram - Racial unrest has erupted in cities large and small across the country, and even rural Ohio is feeling the pressure. Good police officers of every race have been called into question due to the terrible actions of a few individuals. “2020 has been a rough year for police officers, Hiram Police Chief Brian Gregory acknowledged. It’s one of...
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Report
The last official meeting for Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary President John Crawford was an upbeat review of two excellent years of projects and activities documented by a pictorial collage of members and the InterAct workers from James A. Garfield High School as well as a letter of thanks from scholarship recipient Phillip West. On the horizon for incoming President Debra Blake are...
Windham School News June 2020
Windham - Windham Schools are moving forward with plans to open in the fall. Now, just because the district is being pro-active in getting the building ready for students, it remains to be seen if they are, indeed, returning to the classroom. Everything is in the hands of the governor and the health department. The district is moving toward making...
Geauga SWCD Fall Fish Sale is Making a Splash!
The Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District is taking orders for the annual Fall Fish Sale. Whether you are stocking a new pond or replenishing an existing one, we are currently taking orders for fingerling-size largemouth bass, redear “shellcracker” sunfish, yellow perch, bluegill/sunfish mix, channel catfish, white amurs, and fathead minnows. We also sell pond safety kits and Farm...
Windham Village Council News
Windham - Windham Village Council met for their regularly scheduled meeting through Zoom. All council members, the mayor, fiscal officer, solicitor and administrator were logged in for the meeting. Mayor Scott Garrett called the meeting to order, following the public hearing on the budget. The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Council approved the minutes from the April...
Thank you Garrettsville Chamber
Garrettsville - The Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce has replaced the information kiosk, which stood the test of time at the intersection of SR 82 & 88, with a digital sign and beautiful brick enclosure. This project was made possible with a portion of the proceeds received from the 2017 Queen of Hearts 50/50 Raffle. Construction was completed by...
R44 Expands In Mantua
Mantua - Back in 2018, three couples shared the idea that coffee could connect a community. That shared vision was realized in the Restoration 44 Coffee Company (R44), where friends and families routinely gather. R44 is a partnership between three couples: locals Jamie and Carrie Leister and Dan and Linda Tillett; as well as Terry and Annette Tung from...
PCDL Teen Poetry Contest
Portage County District Library (PCDL) is holding a poetry contest for all Portage County teens who live in the PCDL service area (excludes Kent and Ravenna school districts). Teens in grades 6-12 can participate by writing a poem, of any style, about their feelings and experiences regarding the Coronavirus pandemic or about the recent protests over racial injustice in...
