Meet the master craftsman quietly carving world-renowned art from his Garrettsville shop
Joe Leonard has created massive carousel figures featured at Disneyland Paris and Put-In-Bay. Visitors to his gallery are ‘blown away,’ he says.
Daffodils
In my house in Kent, we were already no strangers to avoidance of germs. I had been diagnosed in 2009 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), essentially cancer of the immune system. My family already knew not to allow friends in the house with so much as a cough and to wash their hands like their mother’s life depended on it.
A Kent family’s brush with death
Leighann Fink lost her bid for county recorder, then faced the prospect of losing her mother to Covid-19.
A year of Covid in Portage County
Covid-19 has killed 2.8 million people across the globe. Some of them were our friends or family members. Over 10,000 people in Portage County have tested positive for Covid-19, and many more may have had it and transmitted it without knowing. Each of us has been disrupted by it. This timeline is a chronicle of the pandemic in our community.
One for the Books: With ‘Klara and the Sun,’ a Nobel Laureate is still going strong
Klara and the Sun is the latest novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017. I found the book emotionally engaging, thought-provoking, and interestingly different. And it’s a good read. Technically a work of science fiction, this is really a tale about the human condition.
Edinburg has a new fire station in the works
Exploring finances and footprints, Edinburg Township trustees are taking the initial steps toward building a new fire station.
“Our old one is just getting beyond repair, and some of it dates back to the 1920s,” Trustee Chris Diehl said. “It would cost us too much to repair it and it still wouldn’t be adequate for the modern needs.”
Randolph has a representative for Waterloo’s superintendent search
Trustee Susan White will represent Randolph in Waterloo’s search for a new superintendent, said Trustee John Lampe after Thursday’s meeting. Trustees also received an update from the Fields Playground Group, which is the driving force behind an all inclusive playground to be built on state Route 44 at Randolph School Park.
Ravenna Township is ready for spring cleaning April 17
The township set its spring clean up for 8-noon April 17 at the township building on South Spring Street. The event is reserved for township residents only, and tires won’t be accepted.
Updated: Sheriff’s office wants to hire 18 new employees
The sheriff’s office is hoping to give raises, update radio equipment, increase jail personnel and upgrade protective gear. Only Commissioner Vicki Kline was present in the room during the meeting.
Palmyra spring cleanup coming late this year
Palmyra Township will hold its annual spring cleanup … this summer. The cleanup is set for 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 11 and from 7:30 a.m.-noon June 12 at the Palmyra Township Fire Station. Only Palmyra Township residents may participate, and ID will be checked.
Rootstown trustees remember ‘Flash’ Gordon, beloved firefighter and teacher
Rootstown trustees honored John “Flash” Gordon, a longtime township firefighter and teacher, at their meeting Tuesday. Gordon served Rootstown for 31 years as a firefighter. He taught Rootstown high school students for 38 years, most recently focusing on government and psychology. He was honored as the Rootstown Township Lions Club citizen of the year in 2003 and 2004.
Eagle Scout project will improve Phillips Park in Franklin Township
Franklin Township trustees met Tuesday to welcome Jack Amolsch, a Shaker Heights Boy Scout who has targeted Franklin Township for his Eagle Scout project. Designing and implementing a community-minded project is a requirement for becoming an Eagle Scout, which is a lifetime designation.
Brimfield trustees approved the first new township position in 11 years
Brimfield trustees met Wednesday to approve adding new firefighter/paramedic to the township’s fire department roster. While employees have been hired as others moved on or retired, this will be the first time in 11 years that the township has actually added an employee.
Here’s what it’ll cost you to rent the Windham community center
Windham Village Council met Tuesday to address a slew of issues, including setting rental rates for the village community center. Anyone who wants to rent the village community center for parties, banquets or other events should expect to pay a $200 refundable security deposit.
Community leaders will play a big role in selecting Waterloo’s next superintendent
Faced with the imminent resignation of Waterloo schools superintendent Shawn Braman, the school board is putting together an interview committee that involves leaders from each of the two communities it serves.
Garrettsville Council approves water main replacement contract with Leavittsburg company
Garrettsville Village Council met in an emergency session Wednesday to approve a $741,222 bid from Woodford Excavating for the village’s South Street water main replacement project.
Letter: Thank you to Ravenna teachers
Thank you to the Ravenna School District teachers for making the hard choices; support staff for doing the hard work; administrative officials for making the hard decisions, and the school board members for representing the hardest hit in our community. As many other districts are now returning to in-person learning, it boggles the mind to realize that we in the RSD have had in-person learning since both before and after the Thanksgiving Covid spike.
The hard way on purpose
- Tom Hardesty.
It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t smooth and it certainly wasn’t anything like we’ve experienced before, but somehow, some way, the Ohio High School Athletic Association is still batting 1.000 on completed sports seasons this school year after whiffing on two of three last year.
Increase in recycling rates could mean even higher prices for customers and cities
Rates are rising for homeowners who take advantage of curbside recycling on a voluntary basis. The Portage County Solid Waste Management District started raising rates a few years ago, when the recycling market went from black to red.
Aurora awards $8.5 million contract to Chardon-based company for wastewater overhaul
When a homeowner’s wastewater system goes bad, the cost is substantial. When a city’s wastewater system needs attention, the price tag is huge. That’s the case in Aurora, which on Monday awarded an $8.5 million contract to Chardon’s Cold Harbor Building Co. to upgrade the city’s central wastewater treatment plant. The facility’s current tank is undersized and unable to handle the amount of sludge that needs to be processed.