Hiram hires interim fire chief after disagreements between department, mayor
- Jeremy Brown. Early this year, a dispute between Hiram Mayor Anne Haynam and former Hiram Fire Department Chief Bill Byers came to a head.
Local government
Ravenna passes data center moratorium, and its not alone
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Heading off a local landowner’s apparent desire to site a data center on his property, Ravenna City Council on April 20 unanimously authorized a one-year moratorium on such facilities.
Ravenna considers new form of government and other major changes
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Ravenna city leaders are thinking about big changes, including adopting a city manager form of government, consolidating the city and township and creating a fire district.
County roundup: Rootstown announces Memorial Day plans, plus news from Paris
- Roger Gordon. The Rootstown Lions Club’s Annual Rootstown Memorial Day Parade and Flag Raising will be held Monday, May 25.
Ravenna City Council rushes to block potential data center proposal
- Wendy DiAlesandro. When the topic is data centers, Ravenna city officials seem split. Local administrators say a proposal to site a data center within city limits is no big deal, but City Council’s planning committee is racing to impose a one-year moratorium on such facilities.
Hiram engages the community to imagine a new village downtown
- Jeremy Brown. The recently formed Downtown Hiram Revitalization committee is currently surveying the community about what the future of the village should look like, and they’re hosting events like a spring festival.
Legislative update: Local reps take bipartisan action against data centers
- Savana Capp. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.) and Heidi Workman (R-Rootstown) introduced H.B. 710, legislation that addresses the public costs and community impacts associated with data center development in Ohio. As large-scale data centers continue to expand in the state, the legislation aims to protect taxpayers, ratepayers, farmland and local communities from expenses associated with economic development.
County roundup: Spring cleanups pop up around Portage County
- Roger Gordon. The Village of Hiram’s Downtown Revitalization Spring Fest will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 26 on Hayden Street. Approximately 25 vendors, five of which are food trucks, will be selling a variety of goodies.
Orange barrel season returns to Portage, Summit counties
- Amanda Smith. Orange barrel season is coming to Portage and Summit counties. Officials say drivers should expect delays, shifting traffic patterns and stepped-up enforcement – and should put down the phone while driving on state highways.
State candidates preview: League of Women Voters Voters' Guide May 2026 Primary Election
- Submitted. This voter’s guide is a joint venture of The Portager and the League of Women Voters of Kent and Northern Portage County.
Issues preview: League of Women Voters Voters' Guide May 2026 Primary Election
- Submitted. This voter’s guide is a joint venture of The Portager and the League of Women Voters of Kent and Northern Portage County.
Local candidates preview: League of Women Voters Voters' Guide May 2026 Primary Election
- Submitted. 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.
Commissioners won’t automatically ban solar, wind farms
- Wendy DiAlesandro. Instead of approving an outright ban of solar and wind farms in eight townships, Portage County’s Board of Commissioners have opted to consider them on a case-by-case basis.
County roundup: Suffield Township weighs data center options; plus Atwater, Brimfield and Mogadore
- Roger Gordon. “We’re just in the infancy stages,” Eldreth said. “Data centers are becoming real popular, so we’re just trying to figure out how to zone them.”
Population changes mean Ravenna must redraw ward map
- Wendy DiAlesandro. For the first time in more than 50 years, Ravenna’s ward and precinct boundaries are set be redrawn.
Around Edinburg: Edinburg United Church welcomes new pastor
- Cathy Klein. Edinburg United Church would like to welcome its new pastor, Danny DeMarco. He and his wife, Rene, will live in the parsonage as he begins this new chapter of ministry with the church.
County roundup: Streetsboro radio station hub for emergency alerts; Aurora, Ravenna and Shalersville news
- Roger Gordon. The Streetsboro City School District and the City of Streetsboro entered into a memorandum of understanding to be able to utilize WSTB 88.9 FM, Streetsboro High School’s radio station, as the city’s go-to emergency radio broadcasting center.
Election preview: A look at the races, issues on the ballot in May 2026
- Wendy DiAlesandro. May primaries are just around the corner, and Portage County voters will see a number of familiar names in dozens of uncontested races, as well as a few contested ones. On the ballot are candidates for state representative of Ohio’s 72nd district, Portage County commissioner, Portage County Common Pleas Court judges and Portage County auditor.