Today is Jan. 13, 2021.
- Good morning! Highs around 45 today and tomorrow with nighttime temperatures in the mid 30s. The sun should be out today, but will disappear throughout the day tomorrow. Brace for unpleasant precipitation tomorrow night.
- Portage County nonprofits focusing on income can apply for a United Way grant. The deadline to apply is Feb. 12, and the grants will be awarded for a funding period of July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2024. If you have questions, contact Maureen Gebhardt at 330-297-1424 or maureeng@uwportage.org.
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Ravenna
A local dance coach sneaked into a cheer competition despite being banned for child sexual abuse
Dance coach Mishelle Robinson, owner of Ravenna's Empire All Stars, has registered the gym with the U.S. All Star Federation under a relative's name for the second time after the competitive cheerleading organization had previously banned her program in October, USA Today reports. (They've been investigating these types of stories nationally.)
Robinson was listed in the Ohio sex offender registry until March of last year after a conviction for sexual battery of a high school boy in 2006.
Key points:
- Robinson opened the gym in 2015 and registered it in the Federation under her sister's name, anticipating a rejection due to her criminal record.
- The cheer and dance program was banned from the Federation in October. Now, the gym is re-registered under the name of Robinson's son, and the program competed in one event in December and was registered for another this weekend.
- In USA Today's original coverage, Robinson was forthcoming about the workarounds she used to register the gym. She also says she is transparent about her conviction with customers.
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Kent
Main Street Kent is lookin' good
The Main Street Kent Story Walk was featured on New Day Cleveland. "We're finding fun ways to get outside, get creative, get some fresh air," MSK Director Heather Malarcik said. "All of those things are good to help you through the winter."
The story to follow this month around Kent with your kids is called "Squirrel's New Year's Resolution." Here's the page with more details.
More Kent news:
- Kent Interfaith Alliance is hosting a discussion of the film The Children's March at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 via this Zoom link. The film will be shown before the discussion, but you can watch it in advance here.
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Politics?
Everyone is still trying to make sense of Jan. 6
 We've gotten questions from readers wanting to learn more about local individuals who traveled to D.C. that day. We’ve reached out to everyone we’re aware of who went but haven’t heard back.
If you attended the rally/riot, we'd love to hear what you witnessed. (If you participated, well, then I'd really love to interview you.)
From our colleges:
- Kent State President Todd Diacon released a brief statement last week, calling on Americans to embrace the university's attitude of kindness. Diacon, a historian, said what we saw was "the first attempted coup against democracy in the history of the United States of America."
- Hiram College's President Dave Haney shared a letter focusing on the moral and philosophical questions surrounding "how to understand this complicated world and how to live together in it."
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Letter to the editor
Recall Commissioner Badalamenti?
Portage County Commissioner Tony Badalamenti spouts debunked accusations, conspiracy theories, blames Democrats for Capitol riots. How about a recall bid, voters?
Wendy DiAlesandro, 59, Kent
- From the publisher: Remember, letters to the editor are opinions of readers, not the opinions of The Portager staff. Also, Ohio law says an official can't be recalled during their first year in office. Anyone is welcome to send letters to the editor to editors@theportager.com.
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News briefs
Shut the front door!
That's the name of a new competition for residents of Randolph, Atwater and the St. Joe's area. Participants should decorate their front doors with school spirit (go Vikes!) or in a country living theme and post a photograph on the competition sign-up page. The winner will receive a $250 prize.
The deadline for submissions is March 31.
More news:
- The Winter Crisis Program is still available until March 31 for eligible Portage County residents. The program through Community Action Council provides assistance for energy bills. To set up an appointment you can call 234-703-4303 or visit the online scheduling service.
- Portage County CARES, organized by the local Democrats, is hosting a pop-up pantry at Family and Community Services in Kent on Jan. 18 starting at 9 a.m. until resources run out.
- Streetsboro Police Department put out an alert for a missing person. Paulette Jean Elwood was last known to be driving a red Ford Escape in North Canton. Here's a picture and full description.
- Patriot Fitness in Ravenna is hoping to pick back up in 2021 with new safety precautions. The gym's comeback was featured by Spectrum News 1.
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I have a small correction from Monday's newsletter. We misspelled Vivien Sandlund's name by a couple of vowels in the story about the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent protest. Sorry about that!
Thanks, all, for being part of this local news community. We're still working on our new website and subscription drive launch, but we're getting closer. It's only been less than 10 months since we launched, and we've already accomplished so much together.
See you Friday.
Ben
330-249-1338
ben@theportager.com
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We're the only locally owned online news source covering Portage County, Ohio.
Our mission is to help our community thrive.
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