Garfield G-Men wrestling finishes in fifth place at Russ Ward Memorial tournament
While the Garfield G-Men wrestling team may not have the quantity of wrestlers that other teams have, they still have plenty of quality wrestlers. The G-Men proved that when junior 113-pound Camron Lewicki and 138-pound sophomore Landon Andel each captured championships to lead the G-Men to take fifth place out of 15 teams with 165 points last Saturday at...
Holiday Hours announced at Portage JFS
Portage County Job and Family Services is announcing a reduced schedule in office hours for the upcoming holiday season. The lobbies, phone lines, and offices of Portage County Job and Family Services will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. only on both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve and will be completely closed on Christmas Day and...
Bombers basketball shakes off slow start to dominate Chalker
The Windham Bombers boys’ basketball team may have had to wait longer than usual for their season to start but they are hitting the ground running. Windham capped off its opening week by overcoming a slow start to trump Northeastern Athletic Conference Stripes Division rival Chalker 69-31 last Friday evening at Marty Hill Court. “I think compared to our game...
Help the Nelson-Garrettsville Community Cupboard “shut the door on hunger” in 2025
Since 2012, the Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard (NGCC) has been a lifeline for families struggling with food insecurity. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the NGCC’s mission is simple yet profound: ensuring no one in the community goes hungry. Through its dedicated efforts, the NGCC distributes food every month to hundreds of families, many of whom never thought they would...
Red Devils’ basketball captures payback victory against Greenmen
Before last year, it had been quite some time since the Crestwood Red Devils and Aurora Greenmen boys’ basketball teams had reignited their crosstown rivalry. The Portage County rivalry is as fresh as ever, with the Red Devils avenging last year’s defeat, this time beating Aurora 62-51 last Saturday afternoon in Mantua. “We were very careless with the basketball from...
Crestwood’s Rocco Wrobel snags fifth place at Solon Comet Classic
With a young team this season, the Crestwood Red Devils’ wrestling squad has relied on their underclassmen to pace them from the start. Sophomore 113-poounder Rocco Wrobel has done his part so and continued doing so when he finished with a 4-2 record to take fifth place in the 113-pound bracket at the Solon Comet Classic last weekend at...
Garfield G-Men girls’ basketball down Champion for season’s first victory
Last season, the Garfield G-Men girls’ basketball team experienced their worst season in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier since joining it in the 2020-21 season. The G-Men’s hope to turn things around this year is already off to a good start as they stifled MVAC Grey Tier rival Champion 42-39 in their conference opener last Friday evening...
Streetsboro bowling captures first victory against Akron Springfield, girls fall short
It has been a tale of two cities when it comes to the Streetsboro boys’ and girls’ bowling teams as the boys had yet to hit their stride and the Rocket girls have already experienced some success in the Metro Athletic Conference. The Rocket boys finally earned their first league win as they bested MAC foe Akron Springfield 2324-1548....
JAG music programs ring in the holiday season with concerts
The James A. Garfield music programs hosted two festive concerts in the Iva Walker Auditorium, celebrating the season with performances from student musicians spanning grades five through twelve. The events, held Sunday, Dec. 15, and Tuesday, Dec. 17, showcased the hard work and talent of the school’s band and choir programs under the leadership of band director Theo Cebulla...
Village Council Discusses Employee Raises, Land Purchase, and Resident Feedback
The Garrettsville Village Council convened on Dec. 11, 2024, in the council chambers, with Mayor Rick Patrick calling the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Present were council members Deb Wordell, John Chambers, Sheri Johnson, Tom Hardesty, Richard Beatty, and Jeff Kaiser. Village officials included fiscal officer Donna Love and solicitor Bill Mason, alongside police representatives Sergeant Keith Whan,...
20th Century Club News
The elegantly decorated Victorian home of member Jan Boehm was the scene of the December, 2024 meeting of the Twentieth Century Club of Garrettsville. Roll call was answered by offering up wishes for Christmas…heavy on family harmony and world peace, with occasional comical situation references. Co-hostess Leah Schultz revealed her recipe for “M & M Casserole” and presented a...
We’re All Invited
Book Review At The YMCA 1st & 3rd Mondays LOVE 101 by author Peter McWilliams “To love oneself is the beginning of a life long romance.” Share a stimulating hour exchanging impressions & opinions at our book review & discussion, 10am, the 1st & 3rd Mondays each month. Presented by Dr J Patella: Garrettsville YMCA, 8233 Park Ave, (330)469-2044. NO book or...
Garfield’s Conner Hunt named to the U.S. Paralympic All American Team!
Conner Hunt has earned a spot on the prestigious U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School All-American team for the 2024 season, recognized in the T54 classification for his performances in the 100-meter and 400-meter events. The annual All-American list, which honors the nation’s top high school athletes with Paralympic-eligible impairments, features 46 outstanding competitors for 2024. This marks the...
Senior Board Students of the Month
The Portage County Senior Board proudly recognizes Sophia Wood of Waterloo High School and Oliver May of James A. Garfield High School as the Students of the Month for November 2024. These students exemplify academic excellence, community engagement, and unwavering leadership. Waterloo senior Sophia Wood’s dedication to education and her community is nothing short of inspiring. A College Credit Plus...
Radio club donates over $11,000 to Center of Hope
Portage County Amateur Radio Services (PCARS) has made a generous donation of $11,178.51 to the Center of Hope, a program under Family and Community Services. For 19 years, the organization has been actively fundraising for the Center, and this year’s contribution marks the largest amount they have ever donated. Michael Gonzalez, president of PCARS, and treasurer Greg Ash recently presented...
Shop with a Hero Brings Holiday Cheer to Local Children
This holiday season, 29 local kids and their families in the Crestwood and James A. Garfield School Districts enjoyed some extra holiday cheer. This extra cheer was due, in part, to the extra help that was provided by several local first responder organizations. This year, the Hiram Police Department joined forces with the Village of Garrettsville Police Department, Garrettsville Freedom...
Rockets’ basketball uses balanced attack to throttle Indians
If it was not clear the Streetsboro Rockets boys’ basketball team felt they had something to prove this season, it should be now. Streetsboro continued its fast start to the season by hammering Metro Athletic Conference foe Akron Springfield 73-15 last Friday evening in Lakemore. “Unfortunately for Springfield they were missing four of their starters,” said Coach Nick Marcini. “They...
Garfield G-Men basketball chip away at Badgers for comeback victory
The Garfield G-Men’s first attempt at overtaking Berkshire for the lead in the third quarter of their basketball game against the Badgers may not have been successful but they were not discouraged. Garfield took control in the fourth quarter, overcoming a double-digit deficit to edge the Badgers 72-65 last Friday evening at the JAG Fieldhouse in Garrettsville. “It’s not supposed...
Windham girls’ basketball loses to St. Thomas Aquinas
Fielding a young squad this season, Windham Bombers girls’ basketball Coach J.J. Collins said he knew it would be a bumpy road ahead. Windham’s offensive struggles continued as its losing streak reached three games in a 37-22 loss against St. Thomas Aquinas last Saturday afternoon in Louisville. “They got off to a quick start and knocked down a couple of...
Garfield G-Men wrestling to unleash new wave of talent
For the last five years, the Garfield G-Men wrestling team has benefited by having leaders in the wrestling room in standout wrestlers Hunter Andel and Keeegan Sell. With both wrestlers now having graduated, the G-Men are ready to usher in a new wave of talent for the upcoming season. “I would say overall we are a team of sophomores,” Coach...
Windham Township Board of Trustees approve a pair of motions on how to spend ARPA money
In the final Windham Township Board of Trustees meeting of the year, the Board approved two motions to spend $33,350.00 of the American Rescue Plan Act funds last Thursday evening at Windham Town Hall. Timmons said that the Board had $146,706.93 remaining in ARPA funds and had to figure out how to encumber the money. One motion was carried for...
Aurora Chamber of Commerce honors Business & Person of the Year at luncheon
At the annual Aurora Chamber of Commerce holiday luncheon, LeeAngelo’s Pizza was honored as the 2024 Business of the Year and local attorney Rachel Reight received recognition as the 2024 Person of the Year last Friday afternoon at The Bertram Inn Hotel & Conference Center. “The Person & Business of the Year is really quite an honor,” Chairman of the...
SOAR Initiative: Building Resilience in the Digital Age
The Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary meeting on December 9, 2024, featured a program from Project Promise/SOAR (Savvy, Observant, Animated, Resourceful). This initiative, created by John Clark and Kali Roberts with support from the James Woods Foundation, addresses the effects of online existence on today’s youth. The program focuses on key issues such as societal challenges, communication, youth concerns, sexual violence, resilience,...
Food Pantry Serves Hundreds in 2024
The Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard, a 501(c)(3) organization serving residents within the James A. Garfield Local School District, provided critical food assistance to hundreds of families in 2024. Covering Garrettsville, Nelson Township, Freedom Township, and parts of Hiram Township, the program served as a vital lifeline for those in need. Over the course of the year, the organization assisted 136...
We’re All Invited
Book Review At The YMCA 1st & 3rd Mondays LOVE 101 by author Peter McWilliams “To love oneself is the beginning of a life long romance.” Share a stimulating hour exchanging impressions & opinions at our book review & discussion, 10am, the 1st & 3rd Mondays each month. Presented by Dr J Patella: Garrettsville YMCA, 8233 Park Ave, (330)469-2044. NO book or...
Garfield G-Men basketball, energized by senior class, are ready to shed ‘young team’ label
The last two years have seen the Garfield G-Men’s basketball team be the young team, having to go through a transitional period after graduating a talented senior class after the 2021-22 season. This season, the G-Men will be fueled by a six-player senior class and are eager to snap their two-season streak of posting a losing record. “Right now we...
Ravens basketball plagued by shooting woes in loss against Tigers
The Ravenna Ravens boys’ basketball team was not afraid to attack the basket in their season opener against Newton Falls last Saturday evening in Trumbull County, but could not find the net often enough, losing 50-43 against the Tigers. “We were pretty close,” said Coach Marlon Jones. “At one point we were up by three, down by three, lost by...
Santa comes to Kent this Saturday
Downtown Kent will shine bright on Saturday, Dec. 7, as the Festival of Lights returns to kick off the holiday season. Hosted by the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, the annual event promises an evening of magic, community, and festive cheer. Running from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the celebration will take place near the Main Street Bridge and the...
Rockets wrestling seeking multiple state berths in new season
In the first year of the Mark Skonieczny era for the Streetsboro Rockets’ wrestling team, his squad qualified nine wrestlers to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II district meet but only one advanced to the state meet. According to Skonieczny, the Rockets had a few wrestlers who squandered their chances to become state qualifiers and does not...
Make memories at the fairgrounds
The Elegant Illusions Christmas Lights Drive-Through offers a magical holiday experience for all ages. Running from November 23 to December 23, the event takes place nightly from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Randolph Portage County Fairgrounds. Visitors can enjoy a mile-and-a-half of stunning light displays as they drive through the festive scene. In addition to the lights,...
