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In our interview with County Commissioner Kathleen Clyde, conducted June 12, we discussed the county’s funding of the sheriff’s office, what she and the other commissioners are doing to address racism in the county and her thoughts on the movement to ‘defund police.’

Imani Simmons said her court date was postponed because of the pandemic and she did not receive any updates — until she saw the sheriff’s Facebook page

A screenshot of the Portage County Sheriff’s office’s Facebook post Sheriff’s office ‘wanted posters’ for traffic tickets raise ethical concerns over public shaming Facebook posts are meant to resolve outstanding warrants more quickly and without arrests, the department says Update Feb. 18, 2021: The sheriff’s office posted a statement on its Facebook page Thursday saying it would “continue to use our social media platform to assist us and keep residents informed.” The Portage County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday posted personal details of […]

Anne Marie Noble sits with Mark Minadeo at the Haven’s warming center in the Immaculate Conception Parish Hall on Wednesday. Minadeo, who currently does not have access to stable housing, said he’d be sleeping on the street if it weren’t for the warming center. Michael Indriolo/The Portager The Haven opens warming center as cold snap and blizzard sweep over Portage County The Haven of Portage County is providing shelter and meals to those experiencing homelessness during winter weather since last week Bracing […]

King Kennedy Center Director Myia Sanders said some residents of the McElrath neighborhood have been waiting their whole lives for the construction of a gym on the complex. Michael Indriolo/The Portager Commissioners signal support for King Kennedy Center gym despite tumultuous application process Although county commissioners suggested they would approve the project last year, they have not released funding because the application was not in line with a new approval process For nearly 50 years, community leaders in Ravenna’s McElrath Park […]

The flag of Portage County outside the Kent Municipal Court on Jan. 28, 2021. Michael Indriolo/The Portager Sheriff Zuchowski seeks approval to hire a new labor negotiator Central Ohio law firm Clemans Nelson would replace the county attorney for sheriff’s office union negotiations Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski requested the county commissioners’ approval on Tuesday to hire a new labor negotiator for sheriff’s office negotiations who would replace the attorney the county currently uses for nearly all of its union negotiations. Zuchowski, […]

Nanway Boulevard, which leads to the Portage County Regional Airport, is full of potholes and just one of the many infrastructure improvements that will cost the airport millions. Michael Indriolo/The Portager County commissioners move forward with Portage County airport takeover The change of ownership will help resolve chronic financial problems, officials say The Portage County Board of Commissioners pressed forward with its plan to take over the county’s airport on Tuesday, rescuing the airport authority from the burden of overseeing tens […]

Fearless Femme creator Suzy D’Enbeau said she started her live storytelling shows to get to know more people in the community outside of her job teaching at Kent State. Michael Indriolo/The Portager

Kent City Council has its eye on chimney swifts, which will soon have a new roost in the Tree City. Council met Wednesday to review a project to install a new chimney swift tower on the Hike and Bike Trail along Haymaker Parkway, just east of the police station and across from where Erie Street cuts into Haymaker, City Engineer Jim Bowling said.

After a big salary bump for command staff, the union is optimistic that rank and file could also see raises

A document showing the salaries of non-union sheriff’s office employees in 2020 and 2021. Command staff hired as part of an incoming administration are not represented by a union. Sent to The Portager by the Portage County Auditor’s office on Jan. 21. New sheriff gifts big raises to command staff and a big truck for himself Commission president calls increases ‘exorbitant,’ sheriff’s office says they’re necessary to retain talent Within his first weeks in office, Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski raised command staff […]

Streetsboro junction ranked most dangerous intersection in Akron metropolitan area Streetsboro, Ravenna and Kent each contain locations ranked among the most dangerous in Portage County The intersection of state Routes 43 and 14 in Streetsboro is the most dangerous crossing in all of Portage and Summit counties, according to the latest annual report from the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS). These reports help local municipalities identify dangerous roadways and intersections and apply for safety funding through the Ohio Department of […]

Kent Police Officers Lenny Kunka (left) and Kyle Auckland (right) who were shot responding to an armed home invasion in Kent on Saturday. Kent Police Department photos Officers rescue 14-year-old babysitter and infant from armed home invader A bullet-proof vest saved one officer’s life, police said The person who placed a panicked 911 call to Kent police on Saturday morning was a 14-year-old babysitter, who locked herself in the bathroom with the 1-year-old infant in her care as an armed man forced […]

Kent Police Lieutenant Mike Lewis during a video press conference on Saturday. Three shot after a home invasion in Kent, with no deaths An armed suspect clashed with Kent police officers Saturday morning Two Kent police officers and a suspect were shot during an armed home invasion at a residence on Summit Street in Kent on Saturday morning, a police spokesman said. Both officers suffered only minor injuries and should recover, said Kent Police Lt. Mike Lewis in a video press release. […]

Portage County will start offering vaccines to people at the highest risk of developing severe Covid-19 next week, though the countywide supply is a fraction of the need, officials said in a press briefing Thursday.

The second phase of vaccine distribution, 1B, includes members of the general population who are over 65 years old or those with severe congenital or developmental disorders. Portage County will receive 1,200 doses per week to address a Phase 1B population of 27,000 residents, said Portage County Health Commissioner Joseph Diorio.

Eviction cases are heard at the Portage County Municipal Court’s Kent branch (pictured) and Ravenna branch. Michael Indriolo/The Portager She survived domestic violence, but her landlord evicted her for the ‘nuisance’ Portage County evictions continue despite a moratorium and an uptick in domestic violence crisis calls She never thought she’d be able to have kids. Then, about four years ago, she and her boyfriend became pregnant. She’d never fallen in love like this before. But looking back, she missed the signs, […]

Kent City Councilwoman Heidi Shaffer Bish holds a sign during the protest organized by the United Universalist Church of Kent on Sunday condemning the Jan. 6 insurrection. Michael Indriolo/The Portager Kent church hosts demonstration condemning insurrection Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent organized the peaceful demonstration in downtown Kent Demonstrators in downtown Kent spoke out Sunday against the insurrection on Capitol Hill during a peaceful protest organized by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent. The roughly 20 demonstrators, mostly Kent residents, waved […]

Suffield’s new salt shed on state Route 43 across from the road department’s red V-plow. Michael Indriolo/ThePortager Suffield has a new salt shed to make winter roads more bearable this year Officials are stockpiling road salt to be less dependent on state supplies Suffield’s first-ever road salt shed, completed last week on state Route 43, will make the township more self-sufficient when it comes to clearing ice and snow this year. The shed, which holds up to two and a half years’ […]

Photo by ElevenPhotographs on Unsplash Portage County reacts to D.C. insurrection with shock, sorrow and conspiracy theories Commissioner Badalamenti falsely claims antifa infiltrated the mob that stormed the Capitol Building The reaction to Wednesday’s insurrection in the capital among Portage County Republicans ranged from blanket condemnation of the rioters to attempts to justify their attack with false conspiracy theories. In public statements and interviews with The Portager, local elected officials waded through the moral wreckage of Trump supporters’ attempted subversion of the […]

Ravenna’s new energy-efficient streetlights illuminate North Chestnut Street on Tuesday. Michael Indriolo/The Portager New energy-efficient streetlights brighten Downtown Ravenna City Engineer hopes new LED bulbs will draw more people downtown and cut maintenance costs Ravenna engineers are installing the last of 150 new LED streetlights on several downtown streets, hoping to cut city maintenance costs and brighten the city at night. Ravenna’s new energy-efficient streetlights illuminate North Chestnut Street on Tuesday. Michael Indriolo/The Portager The new Phillips LED bulbs shine significantly […]