Applicants Sought for Portage Park District Board of Commissioners
The Portage Park District currently has one opening on its governing Board of Commissioners. Park District Board members are appointed by Portage County Probate Court Judge Bob Berger who is seeking applications from interested Portage County residents. Board members are non-partisan and are appointed for a 3-year renewable term, to serve without pay. The Board meets regularly once a month, with additional meetings scheduled as needed.
Garrettsville – Hiram Rotary Report
It was “business as usual” for the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club on April 13 as the group caught up on community activities and projects under way. These included mention of the semi-annual Trash Pick-up on St. Rte 82 between Garrettsville and Hiram villages. What a surprise, right? InterAct Club members from Garfield High School and Boy Scouts from local troops will...
Natural Radiance Has Settled In At State Street Salon
In November of 2014, Justine Egrek (Collier), along with her business, Natural Radiance, LLC, moved into State Street Salon. State Street Salon, located at 7997 State Street in Garrettsville, is owned by stylist Bobbie Habbyshaw.
Portage Park District Holds Awards Dinner
The 17th Annual Portage County Environmental Conservation Awards Benefit Dinner was held on Saturday, April 11, 2015, and a fine evening it was. The appetizers were contributions of local gourmet-type friends of the park district, using an array of locally-sourced foods. The music was provided by the semi-locally-sourced Byrne Brothers, Jay (of Garrettsville) and Greg (imported from the West Coast). ...
News From Mantua Village
At their last meeting, village council heard from Mary Greer, spokesperson from the Concerned Citizens organization, on the topic of injection well integrity.
Johnson replaces Klamer on Garrettsville Village Council
Johnson, a newcomer to public office, has roots in Garrettsville going back a couple of generations and has lived here her entire life. She currently works in administrative support at Charles Chevrolet here in Garrettsville.
Keeping The Memory Alive
1,100 Holocaust survivors call Cleveland home. On April 15th, survivors were honored and those that perished in the Holocaust were remembered during a program held at the Green Road Synagogue in Beachwood.
Garrettsville Idol Semi-Finalists Selected
Garrettsville - This past Sunday, over 43 contestants competed in a closed audition held at James A. Garfield High School, hoping to keep their dreams alive by becoming the next Garrettsville Idol. Judges Danny Deakins, Wendi Brown and Jackie Rinearson were given the difficult task of selecting those who would receive a golden ticket to move on to the...
Chic & Shabby Returns to Main Street via the Villager Emporium
“When the door closes, find a window to crawl through.” Or put in local terms, “When your business burns down, collaborate with an established business owner to stage a comeback.” Such is the case for Chic & Shabby, a beloved home decor shop which customers can now rediscover as a vendor at Villager Emporium, located at 8088 Main Street (corner of State Routes 82 & 88) in Garrettsville.
Heads up, James A. Garfield Grads
The James A. Garfield Alumni association will be marking its 10th anniversary this fall while recognizing “old timers” of the classes of ‘2005, ‘95, ’85, ’75, ’65, ’55, ’45, ’35, and as far into the past as possible. Come one, come all. Bring your friends and family, classmates (and teachers, if they’re still tottering about) and folks in the neighborhood. Tom Klem is recruiting attendees from the Class of 1995, Andrea Fox is attempting the same for the Class of 2005. Anyone out there who’d like to do the same for your class, have at it. Y’all come!
Spring Flowers Return to Garrettsville
This year the hanging baskets will be themed in pink in honor of long time member Faye Carlisle who passed away last December. Hanging baskets are planned to appear along State Routes 88 & 82, and at $55 to $75 per basket, expenses can add up quickly. Anyone interested in contributing to the flower basket fund can make a tax deductible donation by sending their contibution to the Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce (Post Office Box 1, Garrettsville, OH 44231). Please be sure write “Flower Baskets” in the memo line of your check.
Newton Falls Prayer Shawl Ministry Celebrates Anniversary
Over 300 Prayer Shawl Lapghans have been given to people suffering from illness and many other needs. These shawls and laps have been given locally and mailed throughout the United States and to troops overseas.
New Emergency Alert Sirens Keep Hiram Families Safe
Stressing the importance of this seemingly old-school system, Chief Byers shared, “The 911 outage this January is a prime example of how a battle-tested method is still relevant.” Byers referred to the 911-outage caused when a steam pipe burst, damaging an AT&T switching station. That random event knocked out 911 service in Summit, Portage, Stark and Medina Counties for two-days.
Garrettsville YMCA Kicks Off Summer Camp for Kids
Campers will play games and sports, do arts and crafts, spend time outside, get messy, go on field trips on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, participate in community projects, enjoy swimming every Thursday at the Geauga YMCA, and make new friends. The school-age program offers fun weekly themes that align with Ohio’s Common Core K-12 state standards. The curriculum includes activities in the following areas: arts & humanities; character development; large motor skills and fitness; literacy; science and math, STEM, nutrition, and service learning projects.
Princess Party & Book Signing At Village Bookstore
Young ladies are encouraged to attend in their favorite princess dresses. They will receive gifts and have a chance to meet Freya, the Goddess of Love, who will read the first chapter of The Enchanted Necklace, a new classic fairy tale written by Hiram College alum James Bradley Clarke.
Mark’s Automotive To Close
Garrettsville - A staple on North Street for almost twenty-four years, Mark’s Automotive will be closing the doors for good the week of April 13, 2015. Mark Johnson, owner and operator of Mark’s Automotive has decided to retire and “enjoy life a bit”.
Hiram Fire Department Swears in Assistant Chief
“We as a department, and the community as a whole, are really lucky to have Brandon take Mark's place as our Assistant Chief,” shared HFD Fire Chief Bill Byers.
Custom Car Leaders Form Partnership
Two titans in the world of custom cars have formed a partnership in Northeast Ohio. Portage Trim and Mongoose Motorsports, of Ravenna, have teamed up to become one of the most formidable custom motor vehicle shops around.
Crestwood Intermediate School Visits Cleveland Museum of Art
During two special Saturdays in March, Crestwood Intermediate School (CIS) Art Teacher Patricia Timbrook hosted groups of CIS students and their guests on an excursion to the Cleveland Museum of Art on University Circle.
Active Minds of Hiram College Holds Panel Discussion
Active Minds of Hiram College held a panel discussion on suicide prevention as part of their “Green Week” – a week of mental health awareness activities on campus.
JA Garfield Historical Society News
he James A. Garfield Historical Society enjoyed three rings of excitement—celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, Open House(with potluck dinner) for the public and a slightly irregular monthly meeting for March, held on Tuesday, March 17, rather than on Monday, March 16. All in a good cause.
Saving Mantua’s Center School… Fighting In The Trenches
Make no mistake, the whole initiative to Save the Mantua Center School has divided the current township trustees—split them three ways as to what to do with the old school building. This not a new development either, because historically there has been much mud-slinging since the purchase of the school in 2004. The community has demonstrated overwhelming support for saving the school and making it into a community center.
Windham’s Leadership and Legacies Teams Advance to State
Twenty winning teams from the local Leadership and Legacies History Contest held at Windham High School earlier this month, advanced to compete at Youngstown State University this past weekend.
Garrettsville – Hiram Rotary Report
The March 23 meeting of the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary Club featured the program by Adam Wohlever, District Manager of the Ohio State Parks Division of Natural Areas and Preserves.
Garrettsville Summerfest Announces Idol Auditions
The open-call auditions are scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2015 at James A Garfield High School at 1 p.m. (Use event entrance) Contestants are asked to come prepared to sing an entire song without musical accompaniment.
‘The Coffee Mill’ Waiting to Brew in Garrettsville
It took six months for developer Mike Maschek of Hiram to renovate the historic feed mill at the intersection of Main, Center and Water streets. Maschek had gained ownership of the dilapidated mill property from Marty Paul in May 2014. By December, its exterior had been transformed from a sagging eyesore to a beautiful centerpiece for the village.
Hero’s Rock Rises from the Rubble
Scott and Trish Snyder of Mantua had a simple idea when they started their part-time business making handcrafted wooden rocking horses for children of all ages. “For every 10 Trott Wood Creations we build, we pledged to give one away,” they explained. As they sold their original rocking horses, dragons, and other creations through local art shows and events, the idea for Hero’s Rock was born, giving Trish and Scott the mission to build tribute rockers for the children of fallen heroes. According to the two self-described hippies, “It was a play on words but it seemed so perfect -- The most important thing to each of these heroes was their family…their rock.” In addition to customized rocking horses for small children, Hero’s Rock also creates Treasured Chests for older children, providing a place to hold treasured keepsakes of their loved one. Each custom piece features a laser-engraved portrait and service title of their loved one, so that their hero will never be forgotten.
Destination Imagination Competition at Hiram College
Hiram - This past weekend, 60 student-led teams from 12 area schools converged at the Hiram College campus for the District 15 Destination Imagination (DI) Competition. DI is an educational program where student teams solve open-ended challenges, then present their solutions at regional, state, and global tournaments. Competitors range in age from Early Learners (ages 4 through 7) to High...
Quilts and the Underground Railroad
Newton Falls - The fifth grade students of Newton Falls Middle School recently had a guest speaker to discuss the topic of the Underground Railroad. Jean Watkins, was invited by Miss Megan Perrine to speak about this era of history and share her talents for quilting with her social studies classes. Mrs. Jean Watkins has a background of arts and...
Over 5,000 Easter Eggs!
Over 5,000 eggs will be filled with candy and contain special prize tickets from the Ravenna Women of the Moose. Check out the times below for each age group's egg hunt times. Be sure to bring a bag, basket or container for the candy you find in your eggs. This annual event is held rain, snow, or shine. We hope to see you there!