Opinion

I usually try to keep The Portager positive, but sometimes we simply have to report bad news. Today I have some bad news to share, though by the end of this column you’ll have much more context and, I hope, some optimism about the future of our newspaper. 

As the fall colors engulf us in a myriad of beauty, there are lots of great musical happenings this coming week.

The Lions Club Meet Your Candidates Night will be held Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Randolph Community Center. Come and learn how candidates stand on your key issues.

Hello Windham Family! October is halfway over already. Outside, our beautiful Windham rural landscape is changing, air is getting colder, nights are getting longer, and the leaves are all changing colors. Embrace the changing beauty of our little Bomber community; there are many things to look forward to as you read below.

Celebrate the holiday season at Garrettsville’s Christmas Walk, the area’s original Christmas Walk and a fundraiser for the James A. Garfield Historical Society.

It’s another busy week, lots of live music to look forward to. Kent’s own Marilyn DeFrange is hosting a podcast that airs every month on YouTube. Her interviews with Kent musicians Terry Hynde (Episode 7), Guy Pernetti (Episode 6) and John Stacey (Episode 4) are worth watching.

My name is Simon Varner. I am a chef and writer with a passion for local food. Every month, I’ll take a look inside the kitchens that keep Portage County fed and speak with the people behind the swinging doors. Today, I am highlighting Sonny & Olive’s, the new Italian-American spot opened by Mike Beder in Kent’s South End in March of 2026.

There are several exciting events coming up in the next month, which can make a significant impact on senior citizens in Portage County. The first one is on Oct. 15. This will be an opportunity for all of us to make a donation to S.O.S, (Support Our Seniors) fundraising campaign.

Speaking of farms, Mike and Linda Dussel don’t just raise corn and pumpkins, they have “home-grown and farm raised” the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer of UH Portage Medical Center, Christopher Dussel, MD, MBA.

Our family’s foray into gardening, like so many others, began in 2020 during the height of the global pandemic. It brought us all outside into the sunshine and provided us with a central hobby in which every family member contributed. Each year after, the garden expanded right along with our knowledge and botanical interest. Then one year we discovered chickens and their natural abilities to assist in the garden. 

I recently found several books in which people’s love of the land or the significance of the land makes it feel as if the land itself is practically a character.

It's that time of year when we sadly have to say goodbye to our garden. It's not completely done yet, we still have some plants left, but we're in our last weeks of it.

I don’t know about you, but I find it increasingly difficult to make sense of the world, in light of the tragedies, injustices, wars, unkindnesses and dissension that fill our eyes and ears on a daily basis. I’ve tried being angry, being judgmental, feeling holier-than-thou, feeling hopeless, praying, raging, swearing and despairing. Not that all that seemed to be of much help.

Hello, all! We’ll start today’s Setlist with Ravenna, which rain or shine will celebrate Balloon A-Fair this weekend. Events will be held all weekend in downtown Ravenna and at the Portage County fairgrounds in Randolph.

We are incredibly honored to share that Windham Exempted Village Schools is one of 1,175 schools (almost 1,000 less than last year) nationwide to apply for the T-Mobile $1 Million Friday Night 5G Lights Grant to put a track on our football field.

Join in the fun at the Fall Fling on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Charlestown United Methodist Church beginning at 5-7 pm. There will be games, crafts, a bounce house for the kids and a hayride for everyone!

Summer is a busy season for birds. While many people associate bird feeding with cold winter months, backyard bird feeders can also play an important role during the summer. However, there are both benefits and drawbacks to keeping feeders stocked when temperatures rise.

The Nelson Garrettsville Community Cupboard is hosting its annual Murder Mystery Dinner presented by the Murder Mystery group from Garrettsville Curtains up Theatre.