Portage Park District Foundation Awards Environmental Heroes
Portage County - True heroes earn their place of honor by doing the hard work over the long haul and making repeated sacrifices for the benefit of others until the work is done… so to pause from their labors for a night of fine dining and a turn under the spotlight is a rare and welcome respite. Five heroes of...
Students Explore On Nature Treks
Mantua - Through a special program offered at Crestwood Intermediate School, students and their families have the opportunity to experience guided adventures in nearby natural areas. The goal of the program, called Nature Treks, is to share the natural world with families who don’t have the opportunity to experience it regularly. Each trek is led by Crestwood Intermediate teacher...
Hikers to Explore Unopened Parks
The Portage Park District will offer a special series of guided hikes at undeveloped parklands normally closed to the public. These are properties that have been acquired with grants and donations to conserve important natural areas for wildlife habitat and water quality protection. They are not yet open to the public due to a lack of adequate funding to...
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...
Windham Township News
Windham Twp. - Windham Township Trustees met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday April 3, 2014 with all trustees in attendance, along with the fiscal officer, seven residents and two guests. The first item on the agenda after approving March’s expenditures and the minutes, was roads. The Road Supervisor Brian Miller reported that the roads held up well during...
“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....
Hiram Township News
Hiram Twp. - At the recent meeting of the Hiram Township Trustees, the trustees discussed a request the three trustees received to meet with the members of the Hiram Village Council to jointly meet and discuss Hiram Township Resolution 2014-3, regarding annexation of a parcel of village-situated property. This resolution was presented to Hiram Village Council for consideration at...
Nelson Township Trustee News
Nelson Twp – Officials present at the April 2, 2014 trustee meeting were fiscal officer J. David Finney and township trustees Joe Leonard, Mike Elias, and Tom Matota. Also present were, Roads Supervisor Chuck Vanek, Zoning Inspector Anna Mae VanDerHoeven, and Community House Caretaker Michelle Cmunt. As the first order of business, Finney presented the minutes of the special meeting...
New Homestead Guidelines
Portage County - The Ohio Department of Taxation has revised the guidelines for homestead applications for the aged, disabled, or surviving spouse of an owner-occupied dwelling. People who were 6S in 2013 or was determined disabled as of January 1, 2013 can apply for this real estate tax reduction with NO income limit being reported. An applicant turning 65...
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,...
Fire Hits Garrettsville Area Again
Nelson Twp. - Black smoke rose up in plumes high above Garrettsville as a raging fire burned… again. Just about a week after a block of historic Main Street went up in flames, a large storage unit leased by Hermann Pickle Farm burnt to the ground on April 2 along Norton Road in neighboring Nelson Township. Located on property just west...
You Can Recycle!
Last week, during their spring break, eight Girl Scouts from Crestwood Intermediate and their siblings took a tour at Streetsboro Metal Recycling to get a head start on Earth Day. The girls brought aluminum cans with them, which they had started collecting when the school year began. While at the facility, they learned first-hand about recycling, while earning funds...
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...
Memories of Main Street
The tragic Main Street fire last weekend in Garrettsville, just took a big chunk of my childhood away. I guess you don’t really know the good foundations of life you’ve had, until they are suddenly taken away. Seeing the photos of the blaze brought back a flood of old memories, from a childhood gone by. Buildings can be replaced,...
Friends of Melana Announce Summerfest Race Plans
Friends of Melana (FOM) will hold their Fourth Annual Memorial 5k and 1 mile run/walk at Garrettsville Summerfest, Sunday, June 29, 2014 at 9am. Proceeds from the event are used to fund research for kid’s cancer specifically for Gliomas. Participants are asked to register at www.stopkidscancer.org and click on events. The cost is $25 per runner and $15 for...
Award-Winning Illustrator Visits CPS
A new work of art has recently been installed at the Crestwood Primary School. The art, while inspired and compiled by award-winning children’s book illustrator Robin Brickman, was created by Crestwood Primary’s second graders. Every last one of them. Through a generous grant from the Hiram Community Trust, Brickman’s Community Mural workshop was brought to CPS to share the...
“A Night of Wishes” is theme for Hiram Farm Gala
Hiram - “A Night of Wishes…..Farmers with Autism Making Their Dreams Come True”…. will benefit the participants (farmers) attending Hiram Farm. Hiram Farm Living and Learning Community (Hiram Farm), a non-profit agricultural community for adults with autism, is hosting its 5th annual Spring Gala on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at the home of...
CMS Hosts Community Breakfast
Mantua - Recently, area leaders were invited to attend a special breakfast meeting at the Crestwood Middle School. The breakfast gathering, lead by Principal Julie Schmidt, highlighted a variety of educational opportunities at CMS. Leaders and officials included Superintendent David Toth, Treasurer Jill Rowe, School Board Members, professionals from Crestwood’s other schools, and community leaders. The breakfast meeting gave...
Former Resident Memorialized At Quantico Marine Base
On March 29, in Quantico, Virginia, there was dedicated a memorial to all members of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron HML-167 who gave their lives in service to the country over the 46 years since the squadron became (in 1968) the first such squadron formed in a war zone, VietNam. More than 300 family, friends, and current and former...
A Time to Pray
GARRETTSVILLE - “We’re going to do all we can to rebuild this Main Street block, restore its businesses, and revive this community,” says Mike Maschek of Maschek Construction, owner of the historic Buckeye Block Building which housed eight of the 14 businesses affected by the Garrettsville fire of March 22. “The best way I can think of to bring the...
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...
Purchasing Manager Retiring from the Library
Garrettsville - After over 25 years of dedicated service, Sharon Foy, Purchasing Manager of the Portage County District Library, has announced her retirement. Foy will retire from her position at the end of April. Having started her career at the Portage County District Library in 1988 working part-time in the Technical Services department, Foy soon became the Purchasing Manager. In...
Community in Action Breaks Ground for Community Garden
Windham - Hope springs a new with Windham Community in Action’s (CIA) Community Garden of Hope. This past Saturday, Windham CIA held a ground breaking for their community garden that they will plant when the weather breaks. Prior to the ground breaking ceremony, they held a name the garden contest and Victoria Showalter won the contest with the name,...
Say Cheese
This weekend, I had the opportunity to make some homemade mozzarella and ricotta cheeses with some friends, and the results were simply delicious. Although ricotta cheese can be made using basic ingredients most of us have in our kitchens, I chose to use a cheese-making kit, which includes everything needed to make either ricotta or mozzarella -- you simply...
American Cancer Society Seeking Teams for Relay For Life of Southern Portage County
The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Southern Portage County is just around the corner. Register your team today by calling the American Cancer Society at 888.227.6446 x2215 or visiting www.relayforlife.org/sportage. Relay For Life is a fun-filled, overnight event that mobilizes communities throughout the country to celebrate survivors, remember loved ones lost, and raise money for the fight...
“This Is How We Roll”
Ryleigh Gough had the high game and series on March 15 in the 9:00 Trio League. Ryleigh’s average is 85 and she rolled games of 121, 151, and 115 for a very nice 387 series, 132 pins over average for the day. Kyleigh Grandon was 43 pins over average with her 142 game. Other nice games: Zach Seebacher, 129...
