In-person events have resumed and mask mandates have eased up, yet for some, Covid-19’s morbid arms still hold fast, tearing them away from the privilege of normalcy many now enjoy.
Women once again took to the stage to share their stories after more than a year since the pandemic paused Fearless Femme live storytelling shows. While lines once extended out the door of the Zephyr Pub in Kent for Fearless Femme, attendees flocked to a new location, North Water Brewing Co., last Tuesday for the first live show in over a year.
About 20 people from the Ravenna’s Skeels community gathered Friday at the United Church of Jesus Christ for a service called Midnight Cry to support those recovering from addiction disorders.
The Portage Soil and Water Conservation District helped Skeels residents and community leaders stock the pond at the Skeels-Mathews Community Center on Wednesday.
In the first Don Faix Invitational at Bridget Franek Track, the Field Falcons girls track and field team took first place in a highly competitive landscape. See the full results here. View Portager photos from the event below. To purchase Portager photography and prints, write to photos@theportager.com.
Leighann Fink lost her bid for county recorder, then faced the prospect of losing her mother to Covid-19.
Portage County officials have raised concerns about key parts of the sheriff’s sweeping budget reforms, which call for a spending increase of $2.9 million over three years to cover raises, new hires, facilities repairs and new equipment.
Meeting with county commissioners for the first time since taking office two months ago, Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski and Chief Deputy Ralph Spidalieri laid out a proposal to expand their fleet so that every deputy has a vehicle.
The health department partnered with the center to make the Covid-19 vaccine more accessible to the predominantly Black community the center serves The Portage County health department vaccinated about 42 people against Covid-19 at the Skeels-Mathews Community Center in Ravenna Township Tuesday, making the vaccine more accessible to the predominantly Black community in that area. “I want to make sure people of color get their shots,” said Frank Hairston of the Portage County NAACP. “I want to make sure people in […]
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
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 […]