Former Garfield principal Michael Dobran becomes Windham’s new superintendent
For former Garfield High School principal Michael Dobran, time really is a flat circle. Dobran is returning to where it all started, having been named as the new superintendent of the Windham School District after signing a three-year contract. “Being in a leadership position and to visit all of the schools in Portage County, I had good experiences here and...
Windham Township Board of Trustees receive donation towards Portage Foundation Disaster Relief Fund
When the Windham Township Board of Trustees convened last Thursday evening at Windham’s Town Hall, they received a visit from the Middlefield Banking Company’s Assistant Vice President Lisa Muldowney. Muldowney delivered a check for $3,500 on behalf of the bank to donate to the Portage Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. “We have tried to be involved and we have tried sponsoring...
Forging Friendships and Memories at thePortage County Randolph Fair
It’s a hallmark of summer, a final hurrah before going back to school. A place where friendships are forged and memories are made. This place is the county fair, specifically the Portage County Agricultural Society Randolph Fair. Most of us know it as simply the Randolph Fair, which is synonymous with fun! The first Portage County Fair was held on...
We’re All Invited
Craft Show Vendors Wanted Call Today Craft Show Vendors are wanted for a show on Nov 8 from 4:30-9 and Nov 9th 9 - 3:00 at the Ravenna Elks Club 776 North Freedom Street Ravenna. Contact 330.697.8863 for an application. Cost is $55 and covers both days. Farmington Senior Center Breakfasts Mondays The Senior Center is open for breakfast Mondays from 7a-Noon. A full...
Cardinal football brings Rich Turner aboard as new head coach
Football coach Rich Turner is familiar with elevating an Ohio high school football program to the next level. He will attempt to do that again as the new Cardinal Huskies’ head football coach. “It is home,” Turner told The Weekly Villager on July 25. “One of the big things you miss is that schools open up and close so fast...
Anna Maria of Aurora to host 15th annual Charity Car Show
One of the most popular activities for Portage County residents during the summer is to enjoy the local car shows. That is something that Anna Maria of Aurora recognized and has added a car show of its own and will hold its 15th annual Charity Car Show beginning on Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. “We have a good group of...
Southeast graduate Jenna Fesemyer makes the cut for USA Paralympic Team
Representing the United States once at the Olympic Games was a blessing for Southeast alum Jenna Fesemyer. She will get a second chance to again perform on the national stage, having been named to the USA Paralympic Team for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. “I am thrilled to be representing Team USA at the Paralympic Games,” Fesemyer told The Weekly...
Streetsboro Director of Operations Andreas Johansson assumes Superintendent position at Newton Falls
As busy as Andreas Johansson has been serving as the Streetsboro School District’s Director of Operations for the last seven years, he has wanted more responsibility. He will get that chance after being named the new Superintendent of the Newton Falls School District. “I am very excited,” Johansson told The Weekly Villager. “It is certainly a step in the right...
G-H Rotary News
The Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary held a lively meeting on July 29, 2024, featuring guest Rachelle Yarnell, a former member who reconnected with the group. The meeting covered a range of ongoing activities: Golf Outing Accounting: Invoices and thank you notes for the recent Golf Outing are being prepared. Mural Measurements: Cleveland Wraps has taken measurements for a new mural featuring a design...
Hiram School Reunion Celebrates Longtime Friendships and Memories
The 31st Hiram School Reunion took place on Sunday, July 21, 2024, at the Troy Community Center, drawing 40 classmates and their spouses. Maryan Simsa Jenkins organized the event, with Jerry Matzek reserving the venue. Maryan's daughters, Mary, Sandy, and Lisa, assisted with cooking and serving chicken, setting up tables and centerpieces, and taking class photos. Gary Spencer ensured the...
Garfield grad Owen Bass departs for India as G-H Rotary Exchange Student
Recent Garfield graduate Owen Bass is not used to being the new kid in school but will experience that for the first time when he travels to India for an entire school year as the Garfield-Hiram Rotary Club’s Exchange Student as a part of the Rotary District 6630 Youth Exchange Program. “It is a cultural exchange as well as an...
JAG celebrates back-to-school season
The James A. Garfield District is gearing up to welcome students from all grade levels back for another year of academic, athletic, and creative excellence. The district will celebrate the start of the 2025 school year with its annual Back-to-School Bash, set to take place on the front lawn of Garfield High School on Sunday, August 18th, from 4:00-6:00...
Ravenna VFW Post 1055 holds donation ceremony for Portage County fire departments
The Ravenna Veterans of Foreign Affairs Post 1055 has always prided itself on supporting the Portage County community. They demonstrated their support when they hosted a special ceremony, distributing checks of $1,000 each to 16 different Portage County fire departments last Wednesday evening at the Ravenna VFW Post. “It just reinforces that we are here for the community and involved...
Portage County 4-H Youth headed to State Fair Public Speaking Event
Public speaking is one of life’s important skills but also one of the most feared activities for the majority of adults. Learning to be comfortable speaking in front of others helps build confidence to express yourself in various life situations from interviewing for jobs to applying for college to interacting with adults. With that in mind, 4-H seeks to...
Mantua Rotary and Downtown Mantua Revitalization Committee Make Their Mark
On Friday, July 12th the Village of Mantua celebrated the completion of the sidewalk project on Main Street and Prospect Street. The project included demolition of the 90+ year-old stairs, building a raised, ADA-compliant sidewalk, and installing new stairs and historic light posts. The project was funded by a Community Development Block Grant for $173,325.80, Rotating Loan Funds (PCC) for...
We’re All Invited
Craft Show Vendors Wanted Call Today Craft Show Vendors are wanted for a show on Nov 8 from 4:30-9 and Nov 9th 9 - 3:00 at the Ravenna Elks Club 776 North Freedom Street Ravenna. Contact 330.697.8863 for an application. Cost is $55 and covers both days. Farmington Senior Center Breakfasts Mondays The Senior Center is open for breakfast Mondays from 7a-Noon. A full...
Streetsboro assistant football Pete Smith also scribes with success
Streetsboro Rockets’ assistant football Coach Pete Smith may not have played football during his high school days but was always fascinated by the X’s and O’s of the game. In addition to becoming an integral part of Streetsboro’s coaching staff, he has carried his passion for football over to the writing about the sport for the widely-acclaimed The Orange...
Mike Shiels ready to steer Hiram women’s soccer amid transition period
After 21 years at the helm of Notre Dame College’s women’s soccer program, Coach Mike Shiels is starting over. Although he is leaving a program where he set down many roots, the new Hiram College women’s soccer coach is bringing an energetic mindset to his new position. “Obviously when you are somewhere so long, things become easy for you and...
Windham grad Chad Kiser joins the 300-coaching victory club with LaBrae
LaBrae boys’ basketball Coach Chad Kiser knows firsthand what it feels like to be a part of a small program but still get the job done. He now joins an elite club of high school coaches, having reached his 300th career coaching victory this past season when the Vikings defeated Hubbard on Jan. 3. “It is a prestigious club,” Kiser...
Bridging Education and Commerce: The Ravenna Business Advisory Council’s Impact on Student Success
The Ravenna School District established a Business Advisory Council (BAC) in the summer of 2022. In an effort to merge the needs of the different businesses with the work of the school district, a mission and vision statement emerged that bonded the two entities together in their work to create a diverse, yet competent workforce. The Mission Statement -...
Ravenna Nutrition rebranded to Ravenna Sip and Social
Sometimes a change is needed. That is what Ravenna Sip and Social co-owner and Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce Board Member Rich Wolford did with his store, previously called Ravenna Nutrition, and launched a rebrand in late June to transform his health food store to appeal to a broader customer base. “The overall cost of the business went up in...
Garfield junior Conner Hunt basks in aftermath of Move United Hartford Nationals
Garfield rising junior Conner Hunt had already proven himself at the state level as a tough competitor in the seated track events but now has made his mark at the national level. Hunt won the 100-meter seated dash at the Move United Hartford Nationals in Alabama by setting a national record of 15.71 seconds and finished as the runner-up...
Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary News
The July 22, 2024 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary was a mix of somber reflection and celebration. The group mourned the loss of recent past president Mark Brady while also celebrating the imminent departure of Owen Bass, who will be leaving for India as a Rotary Exchange Student for the upcoming year. Owen's mother, Kim Bass, was among the...
Pickleball Association shines at Farmer’s Market
The Garrettsville Pickleball Association (GPA) gave a resounding yes to the invitation from the Chamber of Commerce to showcase their skills at the Farmer’s Market on July 18th. The GPA had the fun opportunity to encourage and engage community members in learning and playing the fastest growing sport in the United States for the last three consecutive years. If...
Ellerhorst Dental Opens in Mantua
Dr. Lydia Ellerhorst was born and raised in Garrettsville. She began her education at Mount Union, completing her dental degree at The Ohio State University. Afterward, she served in the United States Army Dental Corps from 2009 to 2014. “It was five years of hard work, caring for the dental needs of soldiers in and out of deployment.” During...
Reed Memorial library opens new landscapes
On July 16, Library Director Amy Young and Library Board President Frank Cimino cut the bright blue ribbon between the pillars of Reed Memorial Library’s new outdoor pavilion, officially opening the renovated landscape to the public. Board members, Friends of the Library, staff members, and community members cheered as the ribbon fell. The project began in March of this...
Bee Bonanza in Morgan Park
Join us for the Bee Bonanza at Morgan Park! On Saturday, July 27, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Pollinator Specialist and former Kent State Professor Bob Heath will lead a fascinating tour of the park. Participants will have the chance to net, identify, and learn about the diverse species of pollinators that contribute to the health of...
Garrettsville to host inaugural Sip ‘n’ Shop crafter & wine event on Main Street
It’s that time of year where outdoor lovers will find any excuse to be outside. Garrettsville is giving those people a reason to get outside by hosting its first annual Sip ‘n’ Shop on Main on July 27 beginning at noon. “I feel like this would be something wonderful for Garrettsville and I have always wanted to decorate Garrettsville for...
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Book Review at YMCA 1st & 3rd Mondays OUTLIVE The Science & Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, MD Share a stimulating hour exchanging impressions & opinions at our book review & discussion, 10am, the 1st & 3rd Mondays each month. Presented by Dr J Patella: A manifesto on living better, longer, challenging conventional medical thinking, revealing an approach to prevent chronic...
G-H Rotary News
Checks are still rolling in from the recent Golf Outing at SugarBush. Final touches on the TCMRT at the park—such as paving, benches, and signage—are progressing well, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned upon completion. The mural project might take a new direction with a vinyl approach; more details to come. Discussions on enhancing attendance and updating the meeting format included...
