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.
After reviewing a recent public statement, I believe it is necessary to correct several inaccuracies and clarify factual information.
I think that the Village of Mantua Mayor and Council made the correct decision regarding ex-Police Chief Joe Urso. The following are some of the reasons I agree with the five council members who voted to terminate Chief Urso:
When you break the news that the school levy failed to your 17 year old daughter & the tears fall. You try to lessen the blow by reminding her she will be in college next year & won’t feel the cuts that will be necessary. Her response is “I’m not sad for me but for all the other kids”. When she asks what more could we have done? “We worked so hard.”
Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are published not because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest. I am a severely ill, disabled person. I live in subsidized housing; I get the Social Security Disability benefits I worked for over the course of 30 years; I have Medicare and Medicaid for the disabled; and I […]
Streetsboro City Schools has a levy on the ballot and I hope people will vote to support the levy. I completely understand that the additional tax can be quite a burden on some folks, so I want to make sure people understand some important points regarding the levy and school funding.
I am writing in support of Issue 24, the proposed Streetsboro City Schools’ levy, in the upcoming election.
Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are published not because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest. On Sept. 30 my wife and I attended the “Meet The Candidates” forum in Brimfield. I was impressed with a few of the candidates and not impressed with a few of the candidates. And one or two candidates […]
On July 15, the Portage County Sheriff’s Office announced a major drug bust—an impressive operation worthy of commendation. But instead of simply sharing the official press release and commending the staff involved, administrative specialist Susan Schlarb took to Facebook to add this:
Regarding Kent City Council’s actions and comments pertaining to the City Charter Review Commissions call for non partisan elections for our city: It is without a doubt an ultimate example of hypocrisy!
Scrapping property taxes in the great state of Ohio is a terrible idea for any number of reasons (how do you replace $24 billion in revenue?). But I don’t blame the voters for being up in arms about their rising property tax burden.
Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are published not because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest. HB 96 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing—disguised as tax relief, but hiding cost increases for families, seniors, and working Ohioans. While it promises simplicity and fairness, the truth is that many Ohioans will end up paying more—not […]
As a taxpayer in Portage County, I am deeply concerned about the recent agreement between our sheriff’s office and ICE. At a time when county commissioners admit there is not much extra money in the budget, we are committing local resources to enforce federal immigration law with little transparency and no clear plan to cover the costs.
Attention Gardeners: As you diligently prepare to plant your vegetable crops, we encourage you to consider allocating an additional row for the purpose of donating produce to your local food pantry, hot meals program, or shelter. Your contribution can make a significant difference in the lives of those in need.
The Kent Environmental Council was founded more than 50 years ago for the express purpose of improving and protecting the environment through advocacy, education, engagement and networking throughout our city, our county, and beyond. Today we wish to address the current administration’s attack on our national parks and are asking for the support of the public in their defense.
We’re less than a week away from the vote on Issue 2 — coming up on May 6 — which will decide the continued funding for the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC). This program has played a major role in improving infrastructure here in Portage County.