Deficit versus Debt: What’s the difference and does it matter?
Garrettsville - A hot and emotional topic lately in the village of Garrettsville has been the village’s finances and whether or not the village is in financial trouble. The mayor has stated that several residents have approached him asking if the village is “broke”. The village, as of this writing, is not in debt nor is it “broke”. However, the concern that’s been raised is not about today’s finances, but deficit spending and what that may mean for the future.
Phenology for March in Portage Parks
Come join Portage Park District volunteer Naturalist Joe Malmisur and Dr. Sarah Mabey on Monday March 9th for the fifth in the Park District’s birding series. It doesn’t matter if you did not attend prior sessions. There is always a brief review of things that were covered. The fifth session will focus on Bird songs and vocalizations. Expert Birder, Dave Hochadel, will discuss how to ID birds by ear. Also discussed will be the early waterfowl migrants and the upcoming Birding hikes in April. Program is from 7:00pm-9:00pm in the Senior Center 705 Oakwood St. Ravenna Ohio.
Nelson-Garrettsville Community Cupboard and the Rule of Threes
“We can’t thank the community enough for all their support over the past three years,” Michele says. As the Eliases continue to increase NGCC’s positive impact on the community, they seek a return to downtown Garrettsville before the end of the year, to regain the visibility, parking and accessibility they had before the fire.
Windham Fire Board News
Windham - The WVFD Joint Fire District Board met for their regularly scheduled meeting at the fire station last Thursday, February 12, 2015. The meeting was called to order at 6pm and they immediately went into an executive session to discuss personnel issues. After two plus hours, the board reconvened the regular meeting. The board approved the minutes from three...
Freedom Township Trustee News
Freedom Twp. - After the Pledge of Allegiance, the regular meeting of the Freedom Township Board of Trustees was called to order by the Chairman Roy Martin at 7:30 pm on Monday, February 5, 2015. Present were trustees James Hammar, Roy Martin, and John C. Zizka; Fiscal Officer, Karen Martin; Road Superintendent Charles VanSteenberg. Also present Chief Sanchez of...
Hiram College and Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation Present Discussion on Dementia
Hiram – Hiram College’s Center for Literature and Medicine, in partnership with the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, will present the lecture “The Woman in the Mirror: Reflections on Dementia” at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2015, in the Kennedy Center Ballroom. Mary Jean Flossie, M.Ed., LPN, LNHA, of Cognitive Concepts Consulting Services, is the Center’s Margaret Clark Morgan Scholar for...
Silver Sneakers Are Coming To The Garrettsville YMCA
Garrettsville - Mark your calendar. Silver Sneakers activities are a-comin’. The wellness center for seniors at the Park Ave. building in Garrettsville will be opening on March 2—that’s a Monday—and March 3 will see the beginning of a Silver Sneakers fitness class for “active older adults” at the same location. The time frame will be from 9:45a.m.-12:00, noon, on...
Garrettsville working on compliance for 2015 income tax filers
Garrettsville - Garrettsville village council wants the message to get out to all residents that they are required to file a village income tax form every year just like they would file a state or federal tax return. There are exclusions for certain incomes like receiving a pension or social security, however those receiving the exclusionary incomes must notify...
Nature Treks Grants Students Special Access
Mantua - While many kids used their time off school on Martin Luther King Day sleeping in or hanging around the house being bored, several CIS students used that day to have an adventure back to the canal era of the mid 1800’s. During this special Nature Trek, led by Crestwood Intermediate teacher Rosemary Krupar, students had the opportunity...
Chili Cook-Off Has Hot Results
Ravenna - I recently had the pleasure of being asked to be a judge at the February 12th Maplewood Culinary Students’ Chili Cook Off. My fellow judges: Susan Crowell from Farm and Dairy, Dan Pompili from The Record Courier, and Maplewood School Board President Donna Karg, and I were treated to an amazing culinary experience. The cook-off was held at...
Crestwood School Board News
Mantua - At their last meeting, the School Board voted to approve the revised District calendar for the 2015-2016 year. In the revised calendar, the first day of class for students will be August 18th, 2015, with the last day of first semester ending on December 22nd. Classes for second semester will resume on January 5th (after winter break),...
Jimmy D’s Lil Store named Retailer-of-the-Week
Mantua - Jimmy D’s Lil Store of Mantua has been named the Ohio Lottery’s Retailer-of-the Week for the week of Feb. 16, 2015. Honesty, enthusiasm for their customers and offering a full selection of Lottery games are among the reasons for Jimmy D’s Lil Store’s success. Store owners Jim and Debbie Belt host their own in-store promotions to draw attention to...
Winter Sing Along and Membership Drive at Geauga Lyric Theater
Chardon - The Geauga Lyric Theater Guild continues its membership drive through February with a Winter Sing Along Night on February 21, 7 pm- 9 pm. The event is free to members and open to all ages. Not a member? Join at the door! Group "sing- alongs" of popular show tunes with lyrics projected on the theater's movie screen...
Sadowski – Szabaga Wedding
Phoebe Sadowski became the bride of Matthew Szabaga in an August 29 wedding ceremony held at Sunset Hills Winery in Purcellville, Va., with Shaun Fitzgerald officiating. Don and Phoebe Sadowski of Pittsburgh, Pa. are the parents of the bride. The groom is the son of Thomas and Marlene Szabaga of Mantua. The bride was attired in a Paloma Blanca strapless sweetheart...
Child Advocates Needed To Make A Difference
Geauga County - CASA for KIDS of Geauga County (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is recruiting volunteers to advocate for the “best Interest” of abused and neglected children involved in the juvenile court. No particular background is required; you must be at least 24 years of age. Couples may work together. Diversity of age, gender, ethnicity etc. is welcomed. 37...
Geauga West Friends of the Library Accepting Donations for the Annual Spring Book Sale
Chesterland - The Friends are now accepting donations for their annual fall book sale which will take place March 4 – 7, 2015. Bring gently used or new books, collectibles, comics, audio/video materials, puzzles and games, sheet music, coffee table books, and prints to the Geauga West Library during regular library hours. No textbooks or encyclopedias, please. A receipt...
An Owl, a Mouse & Ballroom Dancing Help Foster the Love of Reading at Crestwood Primary School
MANTUA - On a recent Friday evening, CPS students and their families had the chance to visit to Dimwood Forest, stepping into the pages of this year’s One Book, One School story, ‘Poppy’ by Newbury medal-winning author, Avi. Students and their teachers spent a total of 53,036 minutes over an eight-day period to read the book. Through the process, the story came to life in the classrooms, in the hallways lined with story-themed artwork, and more importantly, in the students’ minds.
Middlefield Chamber of Commerce News
The Huntsburg Grange Annual Chili Cook-Off and Chinese Auction is Saturday, March 14 from 11:30 to 2:30 at the Huntsburg Gym, behind the Fire Station at the corner of US322 and SR528. Register your best chili in the cook-off by contacting Colleen at 440-636-5517. Cash prizes will be awarded for the winning entry. Come and have lunch and sample...
Family-to-Family Education Program registration under way
Registration is now open for the Portage County Family-to-Family Education Program, a free, 12-week class for families and others who have a loved one with a mental illness. The class will run every Tuesday starting March 10, 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Church of Aurora located at 146 Chillicothe Rd. in Aurora. A national program through NAMI, the class is...
Burton-Rotary will be Flipping in Pancake Town USA
Burton - The Burton-Middlefield Rotary will be flipping pancakes again this March for the 64th year starting Sunday, March 1st, and continuing every Sunday in March. The Rotary Club will be serving their delicious pancake breakfasts that include real Geauga County maple syrup at Berkshire High School in Burton, Ohio from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Berkshire High School...
Sew with the Seambusters
Ravenna - The Edinburg Seambusters 4-H sewing club will be hosting a community service project on Monday February 16th, President’s Day (NO SCHOOL) from 1 to 4 pm at Reed Memorial Library in Ravenna. Club members invite boys and girls ages 8 to 18 to come sew chemo caps for cancer patients. The caps will be donated to Akron General...
Hiram Police Department Receives Grants
Hiram - The Hiram Police Department is pleased to announce the acquisition and approval of the Ohio Criminal Justice Services Justice Assistance Services Law Enforcement grant. The grant will fund the acquisition of 2 in-car dash mounted video recorder units for 2 of Hiram PD patrol cars. The total project is budgeted at $4,134.60. The approval of this grant...
Valentine’s Day Expectations, by the Numbers
Let’s face it. Valentine’s Day can be more nerve-racking than heartwarming. What’s an appropriate gift? Should it be cute? Romantic? Nostalgic? How much should you spend? Commercials for vacation destinations, restaurants, jewelry, teddy bears, flowers, chocolates and even pajamas add to the pressure. Maybe there’s safety in numbers. Breaking this commercial holiday down into percentages may just help you navigate...
Garfield Students Participate In Math 24 Competition
Math 24 is a fast-paced competition where students are given four digits on a card and told they have to use each one (only once) in some combination to total 24. Points are awarded for the level of difficulty -- the quicker a student solves the combination, the further they advance, and can add, subtract, multiply, or divide with each set of numbers presented. Students compete in grades 4-8 throughout the county. Pictured are the competitors and high school proctors sent from Garfield School District.
Whispers from the Woods
Phenology for February in Portage Parks • Full moon (Snow Moon or Hunger Moon) – Feb. 3rd New Moon – Feb 18th • Look in the southeast sky for the stars in the constellation Scorpio’s tail, Shaula and Lesath. American Indians referred to them as “The Harbingers of Spring”. • Look for the conjunction of the moon, Venus, and Mars...
Actress Monica Potter Calls Garrettsville “Home”: New Flagship Store Opens on Valentine’s Day
Garrettsville - Valentine’s Day celebrates love, passion and beauty. So it’s fitting that Cleveland native and Hollywood actress Monica Potter is opening her new flagship store in Garrettsville on February 14. Monica Potter of NBC’s “Parenthood”, dramatic comedy and movie fame will welcome visitors to her new flagship store, Monica Potter Home, at 12724 State Route 88, Garrettsville, from...
Windham Jr/Sr High School Honor Roll – 2nd Nine Weeks
Sixth Grade Shawn Barber, Gavin Bervish, Isaiah Consolo, Clay Dean, Payton Ihrig, Morgan Lovett, Christian Manista, Isis Post, Jared Purdy, Kaylee Regan, Mercedes Riffle, Jessica Riley, Morgan Showalter, Breena Smith, Seth Strausbaugh, Adam Thomas, Madison Wiley Seventh Grade Blaze Angle, Mason Angle, Jazelle Artman, Danny Chambers, Paige Collins, Abigail Forsythe, Brevin McCrae, Annetta Sanders, Ashley Simmons, David Stout, Dawson Swearingen, Megan Turk, Ericq...
Windham Volunteer Fire Department Plagued with More Drama
Phil Snyder voiced his opinion on the four member board. Snyder said, “I am duly elected by official action of council to serve on this board (fire) and I oppose any decision made by a four-man board, due to not having enough representation from the village.” This went into a lengthy discussion with many people voicing opinions.
Newton Falls Kindergarten Registration
Newton Falls - Registration for children entering the Newton Falls School System for the 2015-2016 school year was held in February and the beginning of March. If you have not yet registered your child for next year’s kindergarten, it is important that you do so immediately as there is a mandated screening time which will take place at the end of April.
Garrettsville Mayor reviews 2014 in ‘State of the Village’ report
Garrettsville - The January 14th Garrettsville village council meeting began with council re-electing councilman Tom Hardesty as Village Council President. Mayor Patrick then addressed council with a State of the Village report (see below). Mayor Patrick also asked for and was granted council’s approval for his 2015 mayoral appointments.
