A photo of the road sign at the Garrettsville border
Carter Eugene Adams/The Portager

County roundup: Garrettsville prepares for Peach Social Car Cruise, plus news from Freedom, Hiram, Nelson, Mantua and Windham

Garrettsville

The long-awaited time capsule opening took place July 6. Inside the time capsule were, among other things, old newspapers, an old book from the Garrettsville 120th Centennial and a song written about Garrettsville called “Old Garrettsville” that was sung by two girls, according to the James A. Garfield Historical Society, when the time capsule was buried in 1924. Two women sang the song at the time capsule opening.

“We had an excellent turnout,” Mayor Rick Patrick said. “There was also a free tour of the Masonic Lodge, which a lot of people hadn’t been in. We’ll bury a new time capsule Sept. 21 in the same area as the old one was buried. The new one will be in a stainless steel vault, a bigger one that we can put more things in, and it has rubber seals on it. It will be in the ground for 80 years, not 100 years, because Garrettsville will be 300 years old at the time it is opened.”


There will be a Peach Social Car Cruise from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, the biggest Car Cruise of the year, at the Garrettsville Fire Department at 8035 Elm St. Trophies will be awarded in different categories.

“And you don’t have to bring a classic car,” Patrick said. “You can bring motorcycles, tractors, semi-trucks … really anything.”

The Dennis Chandler Band will provide entertainment. There will be fresh, sliced peaches, ice cream, peach pies, and Domino’s will have a tent. Proceeds will go to the Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce.


The very first Sip and Shop will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 27 on Main Street. There will be art and craft vendors and five wineries.

“You can sample wine and go shopping,” event organizer Aaron King said.
Proceeds will benefit the Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce.


The 12th annual golf outing fundraiser for the Garfield High School football team will be at 9 a.m. Friday, July 26 at Sugar Bush Golf Club at 11186 state Rte. 88. It is a four-man scramble. The fee is $400 per team and includes lunch, dinner and the chance to win prizes.


Despite some rain on Saturday afternoon, the annual Summerfest June 28-30 was one of the best ever.

“I think there were more people at this year’s Summerfest than any of the others,” event organizer King said. “We’re all very happy with how things turned out.”


The planning commission has approved a new AutoZone to be built in Sky Plaza on Windham Street.

Nelson

Legislation was passed to submit a speed study of Nicholson Road and Kyle Road to the Portage County engineer, who will then submit it to the Ohio Department of Transportation. If approved by the county and ODOT, the new speed limit for those roads will be 40 miles per hour. Currently, the speed limit is 55 miles per hour.

“People are going too fast. There’s a lot of traffic there,” township Chair Anna Mae VanDerHoeven said. “We’re concerned about Amish buggies and children, too. If approved, the county and ODOT will be in contact with the road supervisor about the placement of the signs.”


Per the Portage County auditor, Nelson Township trustees and employees must go online and watch a seven-minute video about fraud reporting and training within 90 days of being elected or hired.

Windham Township

The Portage Foundation has created a Disaster Relief Fund in the wake of the tornado that hit the township in April. Windham Township is the first municipality in the county to receive donations from the fund. Township Vice Chair Rich Gano and township Fiscal Officer Casey Timmons are representatives of this committee for distribution of donated funds. The township trustees are adding people from the township to this committee, so Windham has a vested interest in dispersing the funds.

Village of Mantua

The Mantua-Shalersville Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a scholarship fundraiser picnic at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15 at Buchert Memorial Park. Hot dogs, hamburgers, side dishes, dessert and pop will be provided at no cost by the Chamber, but donations to the scholarship fund will be accepted. The donations will be put toward three $500 college scholarships.


Advanced Rehabilitation & Health Specialists will host a Backyard Barbecue Bash and Cornhole Tournament on Friday, Aug. 2. The medical facility is located at 4707 Mill St. Dinner is at 6 p.m. Food is provided at no cost, but bring your own drinks. The cornhole tournament will start at 7 p.m. The fee is $20 for a team of two. A cash prize will be awarded to the winning team.


The Mantua Farmers and Makers Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Sept. 21 at Christ Lutheran Church at 10827 N. Main St.


A farmers and makers market will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 26 and Friday, Aug. 9 at the Granary Building at 4690 E. Prospect St.


“Story Time” for small children will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 30 at Restoration 44 Coffee Company at 10675 Main St. “Story Time” will also be held Tuesday, Aug. 13 and Tuesday, Aug. 27 at the same time.


Ellerhorst Dental will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16. The new business is located at 10730 Main St.

Mantua Township

The road department has been busy this summer installing culverts, keeping the cemeteries maintained and mowing roadsides. The newest project now nearing completion is the Frost Road roadside berm project.

“The project is long overdue,” township Chair John Festa said, “and will allow rainwater to flow off the road into the roadside ditches.”


The Ohio Public Works Commission’s Pioneer Trail resurfacing project was awarded to the lowest bidder, Ronyak Paving Company of Burton. The project is scheduled for completion in August. More information is to follow.


Plans are underway for the 2024 township bicycle race, which will take place in mid-August. The name of the event is “On A Diagonal Road Race” and is sponsored by Escape Comfort Outdoors. A date has not been set, but more information will be available soon. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to contact Escape Comfort Outdoors via email at [email protected].

Village of Hiram

The Village of Hiram’s next two Picnic in the Park events will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8 and Sunday, Aug. 18 at Reign Hadsell Park at 6727 Bancroft St. Bring your own picnic! The Aug. 8 picnic will include a postcard-from-the-village activity, and the Aug. 18 picnic will have the band Swap Meet providing entertainment.


The village’s annual Fourth of July celebration went well. Kicking off the festivities were the community fireworks July 3 on Hiram College’s Charles A. Henry Field at Malmisur Stadium.

“We had a packed house as usual,” Mayor Anne Haynam said.

On July 4, several events took place from Village Park to the Hiram College campus — including a community softball game, a bike rodeo with the police department, a parade, kids games, a community potluck and best-pie contests, with community bands providing entertainment. Closing out the festivities was an open-air concert with the band The Garrettones playing big-band music.

“Even when it started sprinkling,” Haynam said, “we had old and young dancing under the stars.”

Hiram Township

Hiram Township is one of three Portage County townships that is prohibiting solar-farm and wind-farm operations.

“We’d passed the resolution in the past,” township Chair Jack Groselle said. “They wanted us to make some changes, though, so we had to do a new resolution so it meets the Ohio Revised Code.”

Freedom

The restoration of the flagpole at the township square is nearing completion.

“We’re waiting for the flag to come in, and the light has to be mounted,” township Chair Tom Mesaros said. “When it’s done, it will be about 90 feet tall, so it will be pretty neat.”


Freedom’s annual Christmas in July, a fundraiser for Freedom Township Park, was a rousing success. At least 100-150 people showed up. There were food and craft vendors and a car show.

Roger Gordon
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