Submitted

This voter’s guide is a joint venture of The Portager and the League of Women Voters of Kent and Northern Portage County.

People in Ohio who are looking at undertaking an online Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program can often fall into the habit of thinking that it's easy to understand the cost/benefit analysis of going through such a program. It might seem like the return on investment from such an online degree is simple to calculate. The tuition costs are neatly laid out, and the average salary for a pharmacist is easy enough to find. But that doesn't tell the whole story, and undertaking a degree, especially a PharmD, is about a lot more than simply what you might get paid when working at the end of it.

The Portage County Shepherds 4-H group was presented with a conservation award at the 2026 Portage County Randolph Fair.

Cincinnati has quietly become one of the Midwest's most popular landing spots, and the numbers back it up. Greater Cincinnati is now in its fourth straight year of population growth, with the suburbs alone welcoming around 13,000 new residents recently. People priced out of Chicago, Seattle, and the coasts are discovering what locals have known for years: you get real city amenities here without the punishing price tag. If you're weighing a move, the hardest part isn't deciding whether to come. It's figuring out where to plant yourself. The metro spreads across three states and more than fifty neighborhoods in the city proper, and two areas ten minutes apart can feel like different worlds. Here's an honest breakdown of where newcomers tend to thrive, and what each area actually offers.

Anyone shopping for a new garage door opener eventually runs into three drive types that all sound roughly similar in marketing copy but actually perform quite differently once installed. Understanding the real trade-offs, and how Toledo's specific climate affects that decision, helps you avoid picking based on price alone and regretting it within the first winter.

The Garrrettsville Farmers' Market is open Thursdays through Aug. 27 from 4-7 p.m. on Main Street. The market also features a number of community events and programs throughout the summer. Here is the full schedule.

Ohio weather can be unpredictable throughout the year. Between snow, ice, rain, hail, humidity, and seasonal storms, roofing systems in Ohio must withstand a wide range of environmental conditions. 

This voter’s guide is a joint venture of The Portager and the League of Women Voters of Kent and Northern Portage County.

This voter’s guide is a joint venture of The Portager and the League of Women Voters of Kent and Northern Portage County.

This voter’s guide is a joint venture of The Portager and the League of Women Voters of Kent and Northern Portage County. The candidates portion is divided by political affiliation of the candidates.

Loneliness does not always announce itself. It can be quiet. It can look like a retired man eating dinner alone every night. A student at Kent State scrolling through contacts but not wanting to bother anyone. A young parent sitting in the driveway for a few extra minutes before going inside. A remote worker who realizes the only voice they heard all afternoon came from a podcast. In a small community, that kind of loneliness can feel especially strange. After all, small towns are supposed to be connected. People wave from cars. They recognize each other at the grocery store. They know whose kid plays baseball, whose roof was damaged in the storm, whose dog got loose last week. But being known is not always the same as feeling understood. That is where a new kind of technology has entered the conversation: AI companions. Not as a cure for loneliness. Not as a replacement for neighbors, friends, family or counselors. But as one more tool people are beginning to use when they need to talk, practice what to say, or simply feel less alone for a little while.

Ohio is a state that offers a perfect blend of urban amenities and natural beauty, making it a great place to call home.

Our mother—the joyful, loving, and passionate seeker, Debra-Lynn Hook (née Bledsoe)—passed away on October 5, 2025, surrounded by her children and close loved ones.

That awkward gap between “We matched” and “We’re actually meeting in real life” is where a lot of connections die. People get busy, overthink, or just… fade.

Although we typically think of winter as a hibernation period for agriculture, this is actually the perfect time to take part in the time-honored tradition of maple syrup production unique to the northeastern United States, including Ohio!

Sometimes, you know exactly when it’s time for a big change in life. Other times, you know that what you need isn’t so much upheaval as enhancement. At the same time, when everything in your life seems perfectly fine if not all that exciting, it can be difficult to pinpoint where exactly to make the changes. The tips below will help you add that little extra to your life that makes all the difference.

Portage County recently celebrated the achievements of its 4-H youth participants at the Portage County 4-H Life Skills Awards at the conclusion of judging for the Life Skills Projects in July. The awards recognize the exceptional dedication and hard work of the county’s 4-H members.

The project will provide the Village of Windham with a Fixed Network Advanced Metering