Aurora / Ravenna / Streetsboro / Shalersville / Local government / Events
County roundup: Streetsboro radio station hub for emergency alerts; Aurora, Ravenna and Shalersville news
- Roger Gordon
Streetsboro
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.
“That way,” Mayor Glenn Broska said, “if something weather-related or hazardous materials or something else we need to know, we can tell people, ‘Tune to 88.9, and you’ll get up-to-the-minute stuff.’ What’s really cool is that Streetsboro alum Corey Teuton, the station manager, can actually go live on the air from his cell phone.”
The Streetsboro Area Chamber of Commerce’s Ninth Annual RAT Memorial Golf Outing will be Friday, May 15 at Windmill Lakes Golf Club at 6544 State Route 14 in Ravenna. A shotgun start is scheduled for 9 a.m. The event supports Chamber scholarships and initiatives. Cost is $135 per individual, $675 per foursome (team sign-up) and $60 for RAT Packs. Register online at bit.ly/RATGolf26. For more information, contact the Chamber at 330-626-4769 or SACC@StreetsboroChamber.org.
The Student Recognition Breakfast will be at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, April 2 at the Streetsboro Community Center at 8970 Kirby Ln. The event recognizes students who have earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or above; recipients of scholarships will be announced. These scholarships have been made possible through the contributions of Streetsboro Area Chamber of Commerce members. Cost to attend is $25, which includes breakfast and the program. To purchase tickets and for sponsorship opportunities, contact the Chamber at 330-626-4769 or sacc@streetsborochamber.org.
Streetsboro City Council approved going forward on building the new playground on the property that houses City Hall. It will be another step toward the completion of Gateway Park.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Chick-fil-A on state Route 14 was held March 25.
Aurora
“A Taste of the Western Reserve” will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 26 at the Aurora Meadows Event Center at 50 Trails End. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Aurora and the Rotary Club of Aurora Foundation. Attendees can sample food from area restaurants, bid on items in the silent auction, take part in the wine pull and enter the raffle for a chance to win money; 50/50 raffle tickets are $20 each or six for $100. Tickets to the event are $60. Reserve a table of eight for $480 or a table of 10 for $600. To order tickets online or to make a donation, go to aurorarotaryclub.org or contact your local Rotarian. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales and donations will benefit the Aurora Schools Foundation’s renovation of the Leighton Elementary School amphitheater and the Hands of Gratitude prosthetics project.
The City of Aurora is hoping to receive approval of a contract with Ronyak for paving this year in the amount of $879,841. Streets that will be paved are Old Mill Road, Deep Woods Drive and Maple Lane. Also to be paved are fire stations 1 and 2 and the service department. In addition, state Route 82 East and state Route 306 North will be paved by the Ohio Department of Transportation this summer.
“We’ll be contributing to that as well,” Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin said.
Aurora’s Summer Concert Series is just around the corner. It brings hundreds of residents to Veterans Memorial Park for free live music on the second and fourth Thursdays from June through August. Local businesses and organizations are invited to sponsor a concert for great visibility and a chance to get involved in the Aurora community. For more information, go to auroraoh.com.
The City of Aurora will celebrate the country’s 250th birthday with a series of parties at Hartman Park on Townline Road. The first is a tree planting at the Tree Museum from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2. There will also be family activities.
Shred Day will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 11 at the Aurora Service Department at 158 W. Pioneer Trl. Residents only. Limit of six boxes per household.
Aurora’s regular brush collection will begin Monday, April 20. Residents should have their brush at the curb by 7 a.m. that day. The brush collection is monthly; the schedule is posted at auroraoh.com.
Two dates are left on The Church in Aurora’s Lent to Easter worship calendar:
- Maundy Thursday, April 2, 7 p.m. – Pastor Derek: Jesus’ last words from the cross.
- Easter Sunday, April 5, 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. – Pastor Katie: The empty tomb; Jesus appears to Mary.
The church is located at 146 S. Chillicothe Rd.
On March 9, Aurora City Council authorized a variety of parks & recreation community education classes. These classes, which are offered throughout the year, include driver’s training.
City council approved Hejduk-Cox & Associates to design new sidewalks on state Route 43 up to Iris Place for $59,858.
The City of Aurora is proposing the purchase of internet equipment and security cameras for Aurora Park.
The city is requesting that authorities hire a new Tech 2 position for parks & recreation due to the growing responsibilities at Aurora Park.
The city is requesting the purchase of two backup generators for its two sanitary lift stations in case the power goes out.
Save the date: July 10 … Dueling Piano Night at the Aurora Inn Hotel & Event Center that will benefit Aurora Chamber Foundation scholarships.
City of Ravenna
Ravenna’s “State of the City” was held March 23. Based on 2025, there was continued growth in revenues and there was a change in carryover, which is in the neighborhood of $8 million.
“The general state of the condition of the city,” Mayor Frank Seman said, “has been in good shape in terms of being fiscally responsible throughout my time as mayor, and that’s been a goal we’ve had. We keep track of the finances so we don’t end up where we can’t handle the projects we do.”
Ravenna City Council has been working to try to get a fixed amount for electricity for the city, which it offers to residents who want to be part of it. Council voted – in the form of an ordinance – to set an upper limit that it would not go beyond, and that was 9.8 cents per kilowatt hour.
“This thing changes every day,” Seman said. “That’s why they put a level that they would not exceed. As it turned out, what we actually have is 9.74 cents per kilowatt hour.”
Trevor Martin of the League of Women Voters has determined that the City of Ravenna does not have balanced conditions. A 10% margin is what is allowed. Ravenna is at 67%.
“This is not unique to us. It’s happened throughout the whole state,” Seman said. “We’re moving to redistrict the town so it is balanced within that 10%. Trevor is supposed to help us determine where to draw some of the lines with that.”
Ravenna’s annual Easter Eggstravaganza will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 4, the day before Easter, at John Tontimonia City Park at 165 Oakwood St. Easter Egg hunts will be broken down by age:
- Ages 4 and under at 11 a.m.
- Ages 5-7 at 11:15 a.m.
- Ages 8-10 at 11:30 a.m.
- Ages 1-18 at 11:45 a.m. (tennis courts)
Also, there will be Meet the Easter Bunny, games and prizes, crafts and touch-a-truck in which kids can climb aboard some of the city’s fire trucks and police cars.
The City of Ravenna is looking for businesses, schools, individuals, and faith and community organizations to participate in America’s 250th Anniversary Community Picnic on Saturday, July 11.
Join in at a meeting regarding the celebration from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 at Ravenna City Hall at 210 Park Way. For more information, call 330-297-2155 or email chelsea.gregor@ravennaoh.gov.
The next Coffee Talk with the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce will be from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 8 at the Horseshoe Diner at 250 W. Main St. To register, email ryann@ravennaareachamber.com.
Save the date: The Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Raven Awards will take place June 3. Nominations are being accepted; the deadline is May 1.
Ravenna Township
Ravenna Township’s annual Spring Clean-Up will be from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 25 behind the township offices at 6115 S. Spring St. Dumpsters will be available, with help provided by township employees. Items not accepted include batteries, chemicals, medicines and oils. Tires – automotive and smaller – will be accepted, but there is a limit of 10 per vehicle. Truck tires and agricultural tires are not accepted. There will be no satellite drop-off locations this year. For more information, call the township offices at 330-297-1998.
Shalersville
Shalersville Township has been awarded a $5,000 Placemaking Grant from the Akron Cleveland Association of Realtors. Only one project in each of Portage, Summit and Cuyahoga counties received funding, and Shalersville was selected for Portage County. The grant will support the creation of Veterans Point, featuring a U.S. flag installation, benches and landscaping enhancements.
The township ordered and received its standard 400 tons of salt at $47.65 per ton. It was also able to secure an additional quantity with a 15% surcharge, bringing the total to nearly 500 tons.
Piping Rock, a health and wellness manufacturer specializing in vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements and essential oils, has moved into the new Geis Building, occupying approximately 40% of the facility.
The township’s new legal representative, James Armstrong, attended the recent trustees meeting and formally introduced himself to the board.
The competitive bidding threshold in the Ohio Revised Code has been increased to $79,568.
The March 17 trustees meeting saw a full house, with many residents attending to express concerns about potential data center development. Key concerns included noise impacts, excessive water consumption, and potential effects on private wells and wastewater discharge along with fire department safety considerations. While no data center proposals are currently pending, the trustees are proactively reviewing standards to ensure strong protections for residents.
The Veterans Grave Marker Project will hold a fundraiser Saturday, May 2 at the American Legion Hall at 1945 Mogadore Rd. in Kent. The organization operates entirely on donations. Chris Untrauer explained that veterans buried before Nov. 30, 1990, in private cemeteries are not eligible for federally funded Veterans Administration markers. To ensure no veteran lies in an unmarked grave, new granite markers – weighing 130 pounds and having no scrap value – are purchased using private donations. Brass markers have increasingly been stolen and sold for scrap, making granite a secure alternative.
The Shalersville Historical Society will host a car show Saturday, May 30, with a rain date of Sunday, May 31. Entry is $10 per vehicle, and food will be provided by the Lions Club.
Shalersville’s Spring Clean‑Up will be held at the township garage from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 7; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 8; and 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Dumpsters will be available at the usual location. The township garage is located at 4383 State Route 303.
The township has hired a new board of zoning appeals secretary and a new Maintenance Worker Class II, filling vacancies created by two recent resignations.
Jason Carlton’s bid of $167.87 per acre was approved for farming the unused land adjacent to Hillside Cemetery.
A building permit has been issued for a new home on Centennial Trail.
Roger Gordon