Letter to the editor

As Fire Chief of Brimfield Township, I would like to share information regarding Issue 27, the proposed 1.95-mill Fire and EMS levy on the November 3 ballot.

A strong community is one where people can access support when they need it, families know where to turn for help, and every person has the opportunity to thrive. That is why I encourage Portage County voters to support the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County’s renewal levy this November.

Every election, thousands of Ohioans give their time and energy to ensure our elections are conducted fairly, securely, and with integrity. These dedicated poll workers, election officials, and volunteers play an essential role in protecting one of our most cherished rights — the right to vote.

In yesterday’s paper I read that my church, United Church of Christ, has been eliminated from the Pentagon’s list of approved faith denominations in what seems to be their latest attempt to control the religious freedom of our military. 

No matter where we look these days, the information media is overwhelming us with red flags about the impending disruption of data centers throughout our county and our state.

Shalersville, Ravenna, and now Streetsboro have all passed moratoriums on data centers, but a moratorium is only a delay. One hyperstructure built in a neighboring county on the scale of Utah’s recently approved 62 square mile data center (read that number again) will overshadow any local ban or moratorium.

The people of Kent send a big THANK YOU to the citizens of Ravenna, Tallmadge and Streetsboro for not passing your school levies. With our freshly approved levy, we will be attracting your young families and their children.

At a time when civic engagement matters more than ever, our community has a unique opportunity to come together for an inspiring and timely event. We are pleased to invite the public to a free screening of the acclaimed musical SUFFS, a powerful production that tells the story of the women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote, on Friday, May 8, 2026 in the Hayden Auditorium at Hiram College.

I would like to respond to certain points in the Letter to the Editor regarding the Streetsboro School Levy, as well as make a few additional ones. 

Despite two consecutive rejections of property tax levies and recent home value reappraisals that have generated nearly $1 million from unvoted tax bill increases, the Streetsboro City School Board is again asking tax payers for to shoulder an even heavier tax burden.

We want to thank the Portage County Commissioners for their recent decision regarding the future of our community. By choosing to review renewable energy projects on a case-by-case basis rather than passing a blanket ban, the commissioners are standing up for local workers and the economic health of our community.

Right now, Ohioans are facing a difficult political landscape where our civil rights are constantly under attack by our own state legislature. But we have a powerful tool to fight back and protect our communities: the citizen-led ballot initiative.

The citizens of Portage County are struggling with their energy utility bills. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Banning solar and wind farms is not the answer.

I wish to express my deep concern regarding the increased possibility of building a “data center” on the Geiss development property (Turnpike Commerce Center). I verbally expressed my concern at a meeting last year and I now wish to express formally.

Either we are going to ban commercial scale renewable projects in much of Portage County, or not. I would urge the county commissioners to take a more measured approach. Do not ban these projects out of hand, take the time and effort to investigate the possibilities and develop a plan.

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.

Thank you to The Portager (and Kent State Today) for the sad news of Jerry Lewis’s passing. Many in the Kent community knew Jerry as a colleague as well as for his tireless work documenting and preserving a record of the shooting by members of the Ohio National Guard on May 4th, 1970. I also knew him as a friend.

Regarding the recent letter supporting the termination of former Mantua Police Chief Joe Urso, several of the stated claims are factually incorrect and contradicted by publicly available records, state administrative rules, and Mantua’s own documented history. For the sake of accuracy and community understanding, I want to clarify the record.