Archive

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Streetsboro residents may soon be paying more for water service. Residents already face annual 2% rate hikes meant to cover administrative costs. That amount may be changing to 3%, with the additional amount slated to cover projects such as line replacement and extension.

Paris Township will hold its spring cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon on May 1 at the township community center on Newton Falls Road. The cleanup is limited to Paris Township residents only, and participants must show ID or proof of residency.

The Ravenna Board of Education met in a brief session Monday, addressing key personnel issues. The board approved a one-year contract for Susan Huth, who will serve the district as Director of Teaching and Learning from Aug. 1, 2021, until July 31, 2022.