DOWNTOWN AKRON — Neither the Cleveland Guardians nor the Akron RubberDucks began their home campaigns on a winning note. On April 7, the Guardians fell to the Seattle Mariners 5-3, despite being up 3-0 going into the fifth inning. The previous day, the Double-A Ducks had their opener spoiled by the Erie SeaWolves, who shut them out 5-0. Despite the […]
2020-04-23
April 23, 2020, cancellations/closures/updates
Akron Marathon cancels summer races, announces donation to Community Response Fund AKRON — Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and consistent with the City of Akron’s restriction of City-sponsored events of more than 250 people through Sept. 7, the first two races of the Akron Children’s Hospital Akron Marathon Race Series, the National Interstate 8k & 1 Mile on June 27, […]
South Side Business News & Notes
Harbor Inn property sold COVENTRY — The property known as the Harbor Inn on Portage Lakes Drive has a new owner. Bob Wilson, owner of the Crest Group Ltd., a commercial real estate brokerage and management firm, said the historic waterfront property was sold to Picks Harbor LLC. The former owners, JBM Portage Ltd. and Portage Parking Ltd., have owned […]
Singers Companye celebrating 20th season
GREATER AKRON — Singers Companye, a Northeast Ohio chamber choir, is celebrating 20 seasons of performing. Executive Artistic Director Samuel Gordon, who founded Singers Companye in 2000, said the choral ensemble was born out of his love for vocal/choral music. During the first season, there were 24 singers, all of whom were professional singers including a number of singers who […]
Board addresses closure during pandemic
The Highland Local Schools Board of Education held a remote meeting April 20, at which officials discussed the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the district. The board addressed the virtual teaching measures the teachers have taken since the state closed schools mid-March. Superintendent Catherine Aukerman explained the students now have the ability to access their teachers and classes […]
Soap Box Derby launches at-home education program
GREATER AKRON — The International Soap Box Derby (ISBD) is now offering new at-home education programs that give children the opportunity to work on fun STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities from their homes. The program includes a STEM mini-car program, a programmable autonomous digiRacer by mimicRobots, as well as the full-size Soap Box Derby (SBD) car program. Officials […]
Sharon trustees cancel Memorial Day events
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on previously scheduled Sharon community events was discussed during a virtual Sharon Township Board of Trustees meeting April 14. Trustee Kimberly Bolas Miller inquired whether the Memorial Day ceremony scheduled for May 25, the Sharon Showcase Festival in June and the Concerts in the Park series scheduled for the summer months should be canceled […]
Cascade Subaru donates to CVNP group
CUYAHOGA FALLS — Cascade Subaru recently presented $30,875 to the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) from its 2019 Share the Love holiday season sales event. During this 12th annual campaign, Subaru donated $250 to a local charity for every car sold, with buyers given a choice of nonprofit organizations to support. The Conservancy for the CVNP works to […]
Treatment services remain available despite lockdown
GREATER AKRON — Despite the ongoing lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jerry Craig, executive director for the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) Board, said access options for treatment services remain available. “The most important thing for people who have substance use disorders or mental health conditions is to be able to access treatment services […]
Fairlawn City Council meets with precautions in place
Fairlawn City Council met April 20 for the first time in more than a month and Council President Russ Sharnsky (at large) said city officials have “taken as much precaution as possible to keep everybody safe, while also balancing that with the need to meet and keep the city functioning” during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Council has to meet. We don’t […]
Granger trustees approve motor-paving roadwork at special meeting
During a special meeting of the Granger Township Board of Trustees April 15, trustees approved a bid for upcoming roadwork for the township. According to draft minutes from the meeting, the trustees briefly reviewed the bid from Melway Paving Co. and decided to accept the bid. Motor paving is expected to be performed on Allard Drive from Remsen to Bath […]
ODOT moving forward with road improvements
GREATER AKRON — Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 4 annual road improvement projects are being prepared, with a number of major projects planned. According to ODOT officials, the more than $160 million in scheduled major repairs and improvements will impact interstates 76 and 77 and state Route 8 of the Akron area transportation infrastructure. The work is a result […]
Summit County death notices
Summit County Public Health has issued these death notices for the week of April 5-11, 2020: Samuel Earl Allen, Akron, 53, died April 4, 2020 Judith Anne Ashworth, Akron, 83, died April 2, 2020 Diane Baggesen, Cuyahoga Falls, 68, died March 29, 2020 James Barry, Akron, 67, died April 1, 2020 William Martin Beck, Akron, 66, died April 3, 2020 […]
West Side News & Notes
Partial reopening of businesses being planned OHIO — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is working with a number of surrounding states to collaborate on a move to lift some restrictions put into place for businesses March 23 to stop the spread of COVID-19. DeWine stated during the April 16 daily press conference that he planned to adopt “a phased-in reopening of […]
West Side Neighborhood Watch
WEST AKRON: Police investigated the following burglary reports: April 13 in the 400 block of White Pond Drive and April 14 in the 400 block of Wildwood Avenue, the 1400 and 1900 blocks of West Market Street and the 1000 block of Cadillac Boulevard. On April 13, police responded to a road rage incident involving two drivers in the parking […]
South Side Neighborhood Watch
COVENTRY: On April 11 in the afternoon, Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a noise complaint at a Flowerdale Road residence and heard loud music coming from a shed on the property. They advised a man to turn down the music to keep from disturbing the neighbors. He agreed to comply. A Beachview Boulevard man reported he went to […]
Norton district maintains distance learning
Norton City Schools are prepared for the continuation of student instruction through remote learning. At a special April 20 Norton City Schools Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dana Addis stated Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement earlier that day that schools would not return to in-class instruction for this school year was “not a surprise decision.” Schools have been closed since mid-March […]
APS maintaining payroll for hourly staff
Also, treasurer notes district’s high marks on 2019 state audit During the April 20 virtual meeting of the Akron Public Schools (APS) Board of Education, the board approved a resolution to maintain payroll for certain classifications of employees during the school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan Pendleton, chief financial officer for APS, said in an April 21 phone […]
Bath increases response to help control COVID-19 crisis
Bath Township is continuing to expand its efforts to address the myriad issues surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, as the Board of Trustees heard at the virtual meeting April 20. Administrator Vito Sinopoli announced the township continues to manage the COVID-19 pandemic through limiting public access to township facilities and transitioning to virtual meetings for the trustees and boards and commissions. […]
Highland girls basketball coach praises team’s fortitude
GRANGER — Highland High School girls basketball head coach James Madison said one word best described this year’s team. “Class,” he said. “This group of girls demonstrated ‘class’ all season long. Whether we won a big game or had a tough loss, these girls did it with class.” The team finished with a 19-5 overall record and 10-2 in the […]
Akron Council receives update from health commissioner
DOWNTOWN AKRON — During the April 20 Akron City Council meeting, Council heard an update from Summit County Public Health Commissioner Donna Skoda. As of April 21, Summit County had 385 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 173 hospitalizations and 28 deaths. “We know we have wide community spread,” Skoda said. She said one of the reasons the United States is so […]
Tips to successfully grow tomatoes
Slicing into the first tomato of the season is a much anticipated moment for gardeners. And since tomatoes can just as easily be grown in a full backyard garden or in a container on a patio or balcony, tomatoes appeal to gardeners regardless of their living situations. While tomatoes are relatively easy to grow, they are prone to certain problems […]
Council member resigns
Applications being accepted for vacated seat LAKEMORE — Lakemore Village is seeking a new Council person, following the resignation of one member now looking to impact his community positively in an alternate way. At a special meeting, held remotely April 15, Council President Sam Ray announced he was vacating his seat to pursue an avenue that could conflict with a […]
Manchester facility state funding delayed
The Manchester Local Schools Board of Education learned during the April 21 meeting there will be a delay in state funding for the new high school. Board member Joe Hercules said he recently talked with a representative from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) and found out the approval of the district’s state funding is being delayed by at least […]
Green boys swim coach happy with team’s season
GREEN — Green High School boys swimming head coach Mike Lazor said this year’s team had “a great dual meet season and an even better championship season.” Green finished 5-1 in dual meets this year in the Federal League, Lazor noted, and took second place behind North Canton Hoover High School. “We had great leadership throughout the season and a […]
Springfield district placing new levy on August ballot
LAKEMORE — Springfield Local Schools officials are preparing to seek additional operating money through a new levy — an action that has not been taken by the district in 20 years. At the April 21 meeting, held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Education approved the first resolution needed to place a levy on the Aug. 4 […]
COVID-19 testing now available in Green
GREEN — Rite Aid is now offering COVID-19 self-swab testing at its Green location, 4053 S. Main St., through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The self-swab nasal tests, which began April 22, are being overseen by Rite Aid pharmacists and administered in the store’s parking lot. They are free to those who meet guidelines […]
Coventry board updated on financial outlook
At the April 15 Coventry Local Schools Board of Education meeting, the board received an update on the financial forecast for fiscal year 2020. Steve Moomaw, from the State Auditor’s Office, said he worked with district Treasurer Sherry Tyson in January and February to put the forecast together. He said Tyson’s five-year forecast in May could look different based on […]
City eyeing revenue losses due to pandemic
NEW FRANKLIN — New Franklin Mayor Paul Adamson and Finance Director Susan Cooke presented New Franklin Council members with a sobering financial update in light of the COVID-19 health crisis at the April 15 Council meeting. Adamson said officials are considering as much as a 20 percent reduction in 2020 revenues a “safe number, but not a nice number.” “That […]