Late-night noise gets the go-ahead in Kent
Meeting in special session July 22, and with no discussion or debate, Kent City Council unanimously tweaked the city’s noise ordinance to keep the downtown music playing.
Wendy DiAlesandro
Portage County youth group home changing operators
It’s a well known journalistic truth: people stop reading when they see numbers. Would they still stop if they realized that each statistic represents a teenager’s daily life?
New Mantua chief wants to outsource police dispatch
Six months after agreeing to handle police dispatch services for Hiram, Mantua is trying to shutter its dispatch center. The center runs round the clock even though Mantua Police Department officers are not scheduled from late at night to early morning.
New court date set for arraignment in case involving Hiram Council Member
Facing first-degree misdemeanor assault charges stemming from an alleged mid-May incident involving two village firefighters, Hiram Council Member Chris Perme has a new court date.
League of Women Voters event focuses on fight against data centers
Data centers took center stage in Kent July 6 as Jessica Winchell, the moving force behind the now 2,600-member Portage Residents for Responsible Development, spoke at a Monday forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Kent.
How Portage County nonprofits fund themselves to help others
Nonprofit organizations have to keep their doors open and services running with uncertain revenue, much of it arriving at the end of the year, said Axess Family Services Executive Director Mark Frisone. People feel generous during the holiday season, or maybe they’re looking for a tax break.
Former resident of Four Seasons at Kent alleges fair housing code violations
When Vince Curry’s phone rings, it’s likely someone asking him to solve a problem. He’s executive director of the Akron-based Fair Housing Advocates Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination on the basis of constitutionally protected rights.
Hiram Village council member faces misdemeanor assault charges
A Village of Hiram council member faces first-degree misdemeanor assault charges rooted in a mid-May incident that involved two village firefighters.
Garrettsville Summerfest to be held this weekend
Garrettsville is gearing up for Summerfest 2026, a weekend of live music and other entertainment.
Volunteers and donations needed for Community RECESS Initiative
Founded in July 2025, the Community RECESS (Recreation, Resources, Community Service Supervision) Initiative is the brainchild of Aaron Mitchell, who worked with community navigator Frank Hairston to gently help individuals and families in Ravenna Township’s Skeels and McElrath neighborhoods build a sense of community, secure needed resources and unleash their community spirit.
Brimfield renews contract for Flock surveillance cameras
Breaking ranks with Kent and Kent State University, the Brimfield Township Trustees recently approved a one-year, $12,000 contract renewal with Flock Safety, a technology company that provides public and private entities with license plate readers and other surveillance capabilities.
Ravenna needs volunteers for America 250 celebration in July
Anyone interested in helping with the event should contact Clerk of Council Chelsea Gregor at 330-297-2155. With enough volunteers, people can take shifts and still go out to enjoy the celebration day.
Streetsboro approves stricter door-to-door solicitation rules
Door-to-door peddlers and solicitors in Streetsboro must now submit to stricter guidelines, thanks to a new ordinance that city council approved June 8.
Standing room crowd lashes out at AI data center reps in town hall meeting
Shalersville Town Hall housed a more than standing-room-only crowd June 16 as area residents fired questions at Geis Companies and Bitdeer Technologies Group brass and sometimes lobbed accusations at the township trustees.
Garrettsville looking for a possible JEDD partner community
Hoping to generate a mutually beneficial revenue source, Garrettsville is shopping the idea of a Joint Economic Development District to its neighboring townships.
Portage County plans Juneteenth celebrations throughout the weekend
Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day, has been celebrated since 1866. President Joe Biden declared it a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, but Portage County communities celebrated it before that and continue to do so.
Learn all about glass with Henry Halem
Local glass artist Henry Halem will be the featured speaker at the next Tap Talk, set for 7 p.m. June 16 at North Water Brewing Co., 101 Crain Ave. in Kent.
Kent-Brimfield JEDD doesn’t want funds used for dispatch services
It’s up to the state auditor’s office now. Brimfield Township, which manages the Kent-Brimfield Maintenance and Improvement fund for the mutually beneficial Joint Economic Development District, may be in for some more bad news.