Brimfield reduces pay for zoning board members
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Brimfield Township trustees on March 2 reduced the stipend certain board members receive and reduced how often they get it.
Local government
County roundup: Garrettsville considers JEDD; Freedom, Hiram, Mantua, Nelson and Windham news
- Roger Gordon. Brad Ehrhart, president of the Portage Development Board, spoke recently to Garrettsville Village Council about the village’s interest in perhaps at some point becoming part of a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) with other communities.
Legislative update: Income tax revisions, Roe v Wade and ICE activity
- Savana Capp. In the first two months of 2026, U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) has been active in speaking up for her constituents, as well as Americans nationally.
County roundup: Atwater requests solar and wind farm ban; Mogadore, Randolph and Suffield news
- Roger Gordon. The Portage County Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Public Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26 concerning recent township board of trustees resolutions that request the board of commissioners prohibit economically significant wind farms, large wind farms and large solar farms within the townships.
Plans for Aurora Park at Geauga Lake main focus of this year’s state of the city address
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Aurora Park at Geauga Lake took center stage at Aurora’s 2026 State of the City event, held Feb. 25 at Aurora Meadows.
Aurora’s superintendent praises district successes while looking to the future
- Wendy DiAlesandro. In his first year as head of the Aurora City School District, Superintendent Paul Milcetich spoke about “The Green Standard,” the district’s commitment to ensuring that its youth thrive not only academically, but also athletically, artistically and socially, as leaders and as human beings.
Income tax increase on the ballot in Ravenna
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Ravenna voters will decide in May whether to hike their income tax a quarter percent, from 2.5% to 2.75%.
Portage County Recycling to open Reuse Center
- Adriana Gasiewski. Portage County Recycling anticipates opening a Reuse Center at its Center for Hard to Recycle Materials in April, with hopes of eliminating landfill waste and hazards.
Documenters: Rootstown Township Trustees meeting for Feb. 24, 2026
- Marissa Devantier. Palmer requested approval to transition two part-time firefighters to full-time status, effective April 1. While the fiscal officer noted that the midyear budget did not initially account for the additional salaries, approximately $500,000 in carryover funds made the hires feasible.
Portage County corrections officer charged with sexual extortion
- Wendy DiAlesandro. A Portage County corrections officer faces two felony charges of sexual extortion, but the sheriff’s office isn’t naming names.
Around Brimfield: Many ways to help feed your neighbors
- Shirley Mars. For over 45 years, the spirit of neighborliness has been alive and well in our community, as residents wholeheartedly lent support to the Brimfield Community Cupboard and created a legacy of caring for our own.
County roundup: Aurora firefighters honored; Ravenna and Streetsboro news
- Roger Gordon. Aurora City Council had resolutions of appreciation for firefighter/paramedics Michael Upholz and Michael Gelardi. They recently saved the life of a woman who was in the passenger seat of a car that had just arrived at the Hillcrest Hospital emergency room parking lot.
Brimfield may have spent thousands in unnecessary property tax payments
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Brimfield’s newest trustee has a sharp eye for dollar signs. During the township’s Feb. 2 trustee meeting, Kevin Scott mentioned that the township is needlessly paying tens of thousands of dollars in annual property taxes.
Marijuana revenue adds unexpected funds to three cities in county
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Three Portage County cities are seeing green, but it has nothing to do with the approach of St. Patrick’s Day.
County roundup: Paris plans to streamline community alerts, plus news from Rootstown
- Roger Gordon. The Paris Township Trustees approved the use of Savvy Citizen, a free, PA-based, one-way communication app and service that allows local governments, including various townships and boroughs, to send alerts about community events, road closures and important news directly to residents via smartphone notifications, text messages or email.
County judge says commissioners aren’t giving the court enough space
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Portage County Domestic Relations Court Judge Paula Giulitto on Feb. 17 filed a judgement entry against the county commissioners, alleging they have failed to provide the DR Court with sufficient space to do its job.
Documenters: Ravenna Township Trustees meeting for Feb. 17, 2026
- Noell Wolfgram Evans. Coia shared an update on a $2 million neighborhood grant. The hope is that it will pay for about two-thirds of the hookups to the sewer lines in the allotted area. He also said he has been working on the township dinner, which will be held in August. Space has been reserved at the Elks and a caterer has been procured.
Crestwood schools stop livestreams in light of AI
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Citing concerns about artificial intelligence, Crestwood’s Board of Education has pulled the plug on its livestreams.