Functional Medicine Helps Patients Revive Health
Ravenna - “For typical doctors, functional medicine just isn’t on their radar,” Dr. Bill Blueter, a certified functional medicine practitioner, explained. “Patients are in the habit of going to the doctor every few months, where they hear their labs look great, but they return home and still feel unwell.” Once people understand that through functional medicine, our approach is...
Ehresman Is Celebrating 102!!
Grace Shively Ehresman, now of Ravenna, is celebrating her 102nd Birthday! Grace was born on July 3, 1918 at home in Edinburg to Blanche and Orrie Shively. She had one sister, Ethel (Shively) Porter and one brother, Paul Shively. They moved to Windham on Rt. 303 when she was 3 years old. (The house they lived in is still...
Perfect Pooch of Portage Contest
Ravenna - The Portage Park District Foundation (PPDF) and the Madonio Family Animal Welfare Trust (MFAWT) are searching for the perfect pooch and it could very well be your dog. The PERFECT POOCH OF PORTAGE will be chosen through an online photo contest with the dog receiving the most votes crowned as the PERFECT POOCH of 2019. ...
Dreams Give Wings to a Flair for Hair and Fashion
Ravenna - The best way I can describe what it is like walking into Downtown Betty’s Salon/Roots and Wings Boutique and seeing the smiles of the shop owners is like Christmas morning or having a great slice of peach pie. A feeling of warmth washes over you as you’re greeted by their positive personalities. Every time I blink another dream...
Portage County Administration Building Reopens; Treasurer’s Office Remains Closed
Ravenna – Portage County Commissioners reopened the County Administration Building to the public beginning Jan. 25, 2021 from 8 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. Offices under the direction of the Commissioners were advised to bring back staffing from when the COVID-19 pandemic moved operations remotely. Board of Commissioners President Sabrina Christian-Bennett advised citizens with business at county offices to...
Ring in the New Year with Free Classes in Portage County
Start your new year out right with the Aspire Program, a non-profit that has served adults in Portage County for over 30 years. Aspire has sites available throughout Portage County in the morning, afternoon, or evening, which provides:• HSE/GED Prep – Earn your high school equivalency at your own pace. Attend class with a certified instructor who will guide...
Erin L. Meffan, O.D. to join Drs. Moats and Martin in their Ravenna Practice
Ravenna - Dr. Aaron Moats and Dr. Daniel Martin welcome Dr. Erin Meffan to join their practice and announce that she is currently accepting new patients. Dr. Meffan is a 2009 graduate of Lake High School and a 2013 graduate of Kent State University Honors College with a Bachelor of Science, (Pre-medicine). Erin went on to earn her Doctor of...
Dinner with Grandparents…A Must!
Ravenna - Remember your favorite dinner at Grandma’s house? The meatloaf that made your mouth water just thinking about it or the chicken and dumplings that seemed to melt in your mouth? While those days maybe gone, eating dinner with your senior loved one doesn’t have to be gone. Make the most of Family Dinners. Engage your senior...
Independence of Portage County Opens New Facility
Ravenna - We all want to feel respected and valued for who we are as individuals and what we have to offer society. Those with intellectual disabilities are no exception and the new center built and opened on June 24th by the Independence of Portage County, Inc. is specially equipped to help its clients reach their full potential. “We are...
Haven of Portage County’s Warming Center Will be Open During Winter Months
Ravenna - Those experiencing homelessness will have a place in our community to come in out of the cold this winter. The Haven of Portage County’s Warming Center, with the support of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and Portage Community Chapel, will be serving those experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect by providing a safe and warm place to...
Rebirth of Furniture happening at Reincarnation America
Ravenna - When Mike Boyd was just a boy he loved his iconic little red wagon and still does to this day. He and his wife, Ginger, have used it as a logo to represent their unique furniture shop, Reincarnation America. They have kept with tradition and continued to utilize red wagons in the pieces Mike creates. ...
Bowling for Those In Need: The Bill White Legacy
Hard work, patriotism, and trust in those he employed are just some of the values Bill White holds dear. As a local entrepreneur and bowling champion, White has worked in and owned many of the bowling alleys of Portage County over the years. Including Twin Star of Kent (now known as Spins Bowl) and SkyLane in Garrettsville. White will...
Straw Bale Gardening in Ravenna
Ravenna - Please mark your calendar and join us LIVE and in person at SWCD, 6970 State Route 88 Ravenna, Ohio, on Saturday morning, June 19th from 9:30 to 11:00. What is Straw Bale Gardening? Straw bales can be used like raised beds in the yard so that no additional soil is needed. That’s good news for older...
Ravenna Lions Collecting Plastics
Ravenna – The Ravenna Lions are joining the challenge to help dispose of some of the common plastics that enter your house but aren’t acceptable for traditional curbside recycling…It’s the TREX Recycling Program – The aim is to divert certain kinds of plastics from landfills and turn them into sturdy wood alternative products. The Ravenna Lions will be hosting a...
Local Man Competes at National Level
Kent - Recently, Jack Edwards from Martial Arts Ohio competed in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Masters competition in Orlando, Florida. Edwards explained that despite many setbacks that could have easily derailed his plans, he persevered, and it made all the difference. He came to jiu-jitsu as an adult, setting aside the fear of trying something new or...
You Can Help Spread Holiday Cheer
While 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, the Christmas season can be especially difficult for children in foster care. That’s why Portage County Job & Family Services (PCJFS) is seeking your help in providing a memorable and magical Christmas for the 200 Portage County children currently living in foster care placements this season. Your gift...
Those in Need Deserve Hope Indeed
The food drive will benefit the Amelia DiGirolamo Center of Hope whose goal is committed to elevating the nutritional level of low-income citizens in Portage County where food pantries are not present. They offer hot meals at no cost 5 days a week and “typically serve 75-100 individuals per day.”
What sets this food drive apart from traditional ones is that instead of stopping at Thanksgiving or Christmas time, it will continue the collection of donations through the new year. People do not just eat during holiday times, they eat 365 days a year. Institutions like the Center of Hope can function thanks to charitable donations and funds to help those who have none.
Adaptability Equals New Opportunities for Kneaded
Over Easter weekend one entrepreneur was thinking “outside the basket” on how to contribute positivity to the community while still selling her baked goods. Kimberly Nader was excited to host her pop-up shop in front of Immaculate Conception church this past Saturday on West Main street in Ravenna. So much so that she had been up since midnight designing...
2020 Winter Writing Festival Winners Announced!
Ravenna - “I’m not sure who is teaching those ninth graders, but whoever it is, does a good job. Reading these five pieces, I felt inspired!” wrote David Dix, high school judge of the 2nd Annual Winter Writing Festival Student Writing competition held this spring as part of the 2nd Annual Winter Writing Festival festivities in downtown Ravenna on...
Pot O’ Gold 5K Poker Run/Walk
Ravenna - Ravenna Parks and Recreation will be holding their annual Pot O’ Gold 5K Poker Run. All proceeds from this event go into the city’s Marlene Watt Scholarship which provides funds to area children who would like to participate in camps, programs and sports and need financial assistants. This family friendly event kicks off on March 16 at 9am...
Portage County Celebrates Ohio 4-H Week
Since 1902, youth in Ohio 4-H clubs have followed the motto to “Make the Best Better” and Portage County Commissioners recognized the impact of 4-H by proclaiming March 7-13, Ohio 4-H Week. In Portage County, more than 1,000 youth participated in 4-H in 38 community clubs and a variety of statewide Special Interest Clubs (SPIN Clubs) in 2020. “We had...
Local Crafters Use Skills to Make Masks For Healthcare Workers
As hospitals and health care facilities across the country are running dangerously low on essential supplies, the CDC has declared that handmade masks are acceptable and can provide healthcare workers with an additional layer of protection. If you’ve got some time and some basic sewing skills, you can make reusable fabric masks to help protect local healthcare professionals using...
Giving it Our All helps Ravenna Businesses “Rise Up!”
Ravenna - Ryann Kuchenbecker, Executive Director for the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce took it to heart when she got phone calls from distressed business owners during the pandemic shutdown. Their financial livelihoods were being traumatically impacted, which in turn was a great disruption of the economic development of Ravenna, where in just the last five years many new...
Children’s Advantage Opens New Facility
Ravenna – Children’s Advantage formally opened their Family Center on 5968 New Milford Rd. Ravenna on August 7th.The Family Center cost around $600,000 to acquire and renovate and was paid for with help from a $367,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and $125,000 from the Portage County Mental Health and Recovery Board. The...
Portage Senior Center Update
Due to increased COVID-19 numbers in the area, the Portage County Senior Center will temporarily “pause” most inside activities. They will remain open, however, with mandatory pre-screening health calls, in addition to symptom checks when entering. Please call 330-297-3456 for questions, concerns, or to confirm the current schedule. Please stay tuned to current state and local updates, and when...
Free Storm Spotter Training In Portage County On November 12, 2019
Ravenna—Portage County Board of Commissioners and the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are sponsoring a free Skywarn® training on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, for residents interested in becoming storm spotters. Residents will register when they come for the class starting at 6 p.m. in Conference Room A at Maplewood Career Center, 7075 State Route 88, Ravenna. Pre-registration is...
Portage Park District Foundation Seeks Nominations For Annual Environmental Awards Dinner
Ravenna - The Portage County Environmental Conservation Awards Dinner steering committee is seeking nominations, due by March 6, for awardees to be honored at the event. Nominations for this year’s awards will be considered based on their contributions to Portage County’s environment through education, green business, green building/development, stewardship or environmental activism. Visit the Portage Park District’s website at portageparkdistrict.org...
Thankful For Your Help; Portage EMA Still Needs Your Extra Protective Wear Donations
Ravenna – Donations of masks, disinfectant and gowns are slowly coming into the Portage County Emergency Management Agency so the agency is urging businesses and the public to check office and home supplies and consider sharing to help local safety and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 response. EMA Director Ryan Shackelford announced to the Portage County task force collaborating in...
Islands of Flowers have Sprouted Around Town
Ravenna - Lilies and Pansy and Zinnias…Oh my! Or should I say Oh, May!? The month of May seems to be the season for Spring here in town as we see delightful colors adorning the sidewalks. But why have these small patches of earth recently become a feast for the eyes? It all started with a bet between two...
Red Cross In Need Of Blood Donations
As the nation transitions to a new, hopeful phase of this devastating pandemic and people resume some of their normal activities, the American Red Cross needs your help to avoid a summer donation slump.Individuals of all blood types are urged to schedule an appointment now to give blood, and in most cases, those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine...
