Village of Hiram

Hiram Village Council passed legislation to modernize traffic enforcement by transitioning from having handheld speed-camera enforcement to mounted speed-camera enforcement, which will be running 24/7. The new speed cameras should be up and running by early spring. Police cruisers will still have handheld speed monitors for spot checks in certain areas.

---

Village council has authorized Mayor Anne Haynam to offer a management contract to the Village of Mantua that would allow the Hiram Police Department to manage the Mantua Village Police Department on a temporary basis.

“Mantua’s police department has been in transition since Chief Urso was removed,” Haynam said. “Essentially, we’re going to help them rebuild their police department.”

The agreement, a one-year contract starting Jan. 1, will have the Hiram Police Department overseeing and managing the hiring, training and scheduling of the Mantua Village Police Department.

“Essentially,” Haynam said, “we have a lot of experienced officers who can help them establish a thriving department.”

---

On Dec. 6, the Hiram Police Department held its 12th annual “Shop with a Cop” in which six families from the Crestwood school district that would benefit from the program were selected by the district’s guidance counselors. Fifteen children participated in the program this year. They shopped with a police officer at Target with $250 for each child to spend and picked out presents for themselves and family members. The money is raised from police department fundraisers and donations.

“The presents get wrapped,” Haynam said, “and then we have a big party for the kids at Hiram College.”

Village of Mantua

The Village of Mantua’s “Santa Shuffle” will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23 at Advanced Rehab at 4707 Mill St. Start your holiday activities with a little physical activity. Wear your favorite ugly Christmas sweater for a 1-mile fun run, participate in some festive exercises and eat candy and drink hot cocoa! Register at arhs.us. The prices are $10/adult and $5/child (under 18).

---

Join the Mantua-Shalersville Area Chamber of Commerce at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 to recognize some outstanding citizens and businesses who helped make the Mantua-Shalersville area as wonderful as it can be. Tickets are $75. More details to follow.

---

Upcoming events at Buchert Park at 4808 E. High St.:

• Wednesday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. – SAIL class (Stay Active in Life) in the Martin S. Hura Lodge. Gentle exercise to get your blood flowing.
• Wednesday, Dec. 17, noon – Holiday potluck & party in the Martin S. Hura Lodge’s Crestwood Community Center (CCC). Bring your favorite holiday dish to share and a $5 wrapped white elephant gift. Winter Trees Watercolors guided painting by Patty Timbrook. RSVP by Dec. 15 to crestwoodcommunitycenter@gmail.com.
• Wednesday, Dec. 17, 12:30-2:30 p.m. – Portage County District Library Bookmobile. A wide selection of books. Order your favorites!
  Saturday, Dec. 20, 6 p.m. – Watch a favorite holiday movie with your friends and family, sponsored by Serenity Realty. Watch the movie “Elf” (it’s free!). Bring a blanket/chair and make yourself comfortable. Popcorn and water will be provided.
• Wednesday, Dec. 24 – No SAIL or CCC.
• Wednesday, Dec. 31 – No SAIL or CCC.

Mantua Township

The next fundraising dinner for the Mantua Restoration Society (MaRSI) will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 in the Mantua Center School gymnasium at 11741 Mantua Center Rd. in Mantua Township. Dine-in or carry-out. No charge, but donations accepted. Please consider giving what you’d pay for a comparable meal at a restaurant plus tip. A variety of entrées provided, including one supplied each month from Main Street on the River. All food is home-cooked and donated by MaRSI members – soups, casseroles, cornbread, salads and desserts. Light piano music provided by Steve Stork. Note: This is not a free community meal but rather a fundraiser for the Mantua Restoration Society that helps provide funds for the restoration and upkeep of Mantua Center’s historic buildings and sites. For more information, contact Susan Pollard at 330-586-8337.      

Garrettsville

Garrettsville SummerFest will be selling Super Bowl squares at SkyLane Bowling at 8311 Windham St. Squares are $40 each, and they will pay $500 per quarter. There are only 100 squares. It is first-come, first-serve until they run out.

---

Garrettsville’s 25th annual Christmas Tree Lighting was held Nov. 29 at the clock tower. The festivities included Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus arriving on a fire truck and handing out little gift packs to the children, McDonald’s donating cookies and hot chocolate to the crowd, and the Garfield High School choir and alumni singing Christmas carols. Meanwhile, Christmas decorations, including poinsettias, snowflakes and wreaths, adorn the village and will be on display through New Year’s.  
“We’ve been told,” Mayor Rick Patrick said, “that the decorations and the tree lighting reminds people of a Hallmark movie coming into town.”

---

Keith Whan was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant within the Garrettsville Police Department.

---

John Chambers is stepping down after many years as a member of Garrettsville Village Council. He did not run for reelection.

---

Podboys Uptown, a breakfast and lunch restaurant, is scheduled to open at 8126 Main St. sometime in January. The hours will be from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new eatery is owned by the same team that owns the Cellar Door Coffee Co.

---

Nails by Nikki recently opened at 8108 Main St.

Freedom

Freedom’s annual “Cookies with Santa” was held Dec. 13 at Town Hall. Besides Santa Claus making an appearance, there were cookies and hot chocolate and each child received a gift. This event was put on by the Freedom Parks Committee.

Windham Township

An amendment that would allow a property with 10 or more acres to have a second dwelling on it as part of the Current Agricultural Use Value program was refused by the zoning commission. Therefore, the amendment will be the main topic at a board of trustees hearing at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 at Town Hall at 9011 N. Main St.