- Op-Ed Contributor. Talking about poverty is not easy. Not because it is unimportant — not when tens of millions of Americans live in poverty’s vice grip. Talking about it makes us uncomfortable because it forces us to confront hard questions about fairness, responsibility, and whether the systems we have built are working.
- Staff Report. Remembering those we've lost in Portage County
- Letter to the editor. Kent’s board of education is considering an issue that should alarm district residents as well as good people across Ohio. Board members are studying whether to oppose a benign-sounding but actually pernicious piece of legislation in Columbus: Ohio House Bill 42.
- Submitted. Ohio is a state that offers a perfect blend of urban amenities and natural beauty, making it a great place to call home.
- Adriana Gasiewski. After he unexpectedly died on Feb. 15, Mark Fankhauser, a longtime Portage County Municipal judge, is remembered for his ambition, passion and commitment, not only to his community but also to his family.
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Three Portage County cities are seeing green, but it has nothing to do with the approach of St. Patrick’s Day.
- Wendy DiAlesandro. The Village of Mantua has been saying for months that it has hired a full-time school resource officer for Crestwood Local Schools, but school officials aren’t on board.
- Roger Gordon. The Paris Township Trustees approved the use of Savvy Citizen, a free, PA-based, one-way communication app and service that allows local governments, including various townships and boroughs, to send alerts about community events, road closures and important news directly to residents via smartphone notifications, text messages or email.
- Abigail Kress. Community members and businesses across Rootstown Township came together for the Rootstown Township Lions Club 5th Annual Chili Cook Off.
- Mary Louise Ruehr. Myths are among the world’s oldest stories, and the Greeks had some fantastic tales. These were usually based on the deeds of the gods, who were often mean and sometimes downright horrible. There are plenty of modern retellings of the stories, and I found these three particularly fun.
- Staff Report. Remembering those we've lost in Portage County
- Jeremy Brown. Grazers Restaurant in Kent will permanently close on Saturday, Feb. 21.
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Portage County Domestic Relations Court Judge Paula Giulitto on Feb. 17 filed a judgement entry against the county commissioners, alleging they have failed to provide the DR Court with sufficient space to do its job.
- Noell Wolfgram Evans. Coia shared an update on a $2 million neighborhood grant. The hope is that it will pay for about two-thirds of the hookups to the sewer lines in the allotted area. He also said he has been working on the township dinner, which will be held in August. Space has been reserved at the Elks and a caterer has been procured.
- Sandy Engle. Last fall, a tragic incident at Waterloo High School left Chastity grief-stricken. She contacted Representative Heidi Workman, who calmly listened to Chastity’s concerns. Now, Heidi and Chastity frequently converse regarding ways to help teens be more resilient and by engaging in service work Chastity has rediscovered joy!
- Master Gardener Volunteers. Many homeowners do not know when or how to prune— so they don’t. Not pruning is a big mistake. We may think it is wrong to remove healthy growth, but just the opposite is true. If you want to minimize disease and insect pressure during the growing season without pesticides, then proper pruning is a must. But what is proper pruning? Let’s explore the when, why, and how of pruning.
- Staff Report. Remembering those we've lost in Portage County
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Citing concerns about artificial intelligence, Crestwood’s Board of Education has pulled the plug on its livestreams.
- Julie Erickson. Brett McCann provided a district report card update. In two years, 2022 and 2023, the district closed the gap of -9% to state average math scores.
- Tom Hardesty. After a sharp decline in traffic fatalities in 2024, Portage County experienced a grim 2025 on its roadways: 17 fatal crashes resulting in 18 total deaths. And it was the usual culprits of impaired and distracted driving that claimed most of the lives.
