Remembering those we’ve lost in Portage County
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Mantua-Shalersville water main is done, but there’s a lot of work before they can turn it on
The county has completed a water main on state Route 44 between Mantua and Shalersville, but what’s underground is only part of the story.
How Kent leaders and local organizations are meeting the need for warmth
Even though Kent is the county’s most populous city — the U.S. Census estimates 27,601 people, about 25% of whom live in poverty — Kent does not have an overnight warming center.
Bezos fund gives $5 million to fight homelessness in Portage County
In November 2024, Mark Frisone, executive director of Axess Family Services, felt his hands trembling as he read the email from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. Axess Family Services was about to receive $5 million.
The deadline for candidates to file to run in 2025 local elections is coming soon
The 2024 elections are in the rearview mirror, but Portage County’s 2025 election season has already revved up. Elected officials whose terms expire Dec. 31 face filing deadlines, some as early as Feb. 5.
Juvenile diversion programs are helping more kids stay out of the courts this year
Late October 2024. A 13-year-old girl sits in the office at Brown Middle School. It’s not the first time she’s mouthed off one too many times, but this time the adults seem different. This time the consequences seem real.
County roundup: Chinn Allotment sewer project moves forward, plus news from Aurora, Shalersville and Streetsboro
The Chinn Allotment sewer project is now in the stages in which there will be a pre-construction meeting Tuesday, Jan. 28. That meeting will involve all of the stakeholders that the project impacts.
Senior Life: Dealing with the chill, heating the home and getting groceries this winter
Hopefully you have stayed warm and safe this January. It has really been a trip back to the “old winters” we used to have.
Kent will host a meeting on planned North Mantua Street improvements
Kent city leaders and concerned residents are set to meet next month to review proposed improvements for the section of North Mantua Street from Needham Avenue to just beyond the northern city limits.
Two public hearings set for February in Ravenna
Ravenna City Council is set to preside over two public hearings, one to establish commission guidelines and the other to address massage establishments.
Around Edinburg: Softball season incoming
Southeast Youth Baseball and Softball are currently holding registration online at www.leaguelineup.com/seyouthbaseballandsoftball until Feb. 28. The organization is for boys and girls ages 4 to 14 years old.
First property tax payments following revaluations are due in February
Faced with property value increases that the county says averaged 30%, local taxpayers are wondering when the hit will come.
Brimfield will add a new park and a senior living community in 2025
Brimfield is looking forward to welcoming two new developments this year, one for relaxation and one for senior citizens.
Baker: What really matters?
News reports from California show us weary firefighters who, with smoke-stained faces and gritty determination, struggle to hold the line against Mother Nature. We see the anxious faces of those whose homes lie in the path of destruction—people who have had to pack up whatever they could carry, leaving their beloved homes and precious possessions behind. Worst of all are the reports of lives lost. Of homes, schools, churches, entire neighborhoods and communities gone forever.
Sponsored: Leadership Portage County Hosts “Level Up Leadership” Conference at Maplewood Career Center
Leadership Portage County (LPC) is proud to announce the “Level Up Leadership” Conference, taking place on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at the Maplewood Career Center in Ravenna, Ohio. This full-day event is designed to empower participants with the skills, confidence, and tools they need to excel as leaders in their communities and professions.