Today is Feb. 15, 2021.
- Brrrr. High of 26 today and snow. Lots of snow. A winter storm warning is in effect until tomorrow afternoon. We'll get two big rounds of snow this morning and then tonight, adding up to a possible foot of accumulation. Tomorrow will drop down to 21 and then into the single digits tomorrow night.
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Fire
Six birds and one cat were lost in a Brimfield fire
A fire Tuesday night at Sky Kings Aviary on state Route 43 left seven animals dead. Luckily, no people were injured, and the cause of the fire is still unknown.
- Firefighters from Brimfield, Kent, Suffield and Rootstown fire departments responded around 11:30 p.m. and left around 2 a.m.
Read Wendy DiAlesandro's story for details.
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Spotlight on Black History
He sang his way around the world and came back to Ravenna
We're standing on the shoulders of giants, Portage County.
In this week's Black History Month column, Roger Di Paolo profiles Frederick Loudin, born in 1836, the founder of the Loudin Jubilee Singers. He was also a writer, printer and inventor.
- Loudin was outspoken about his experiences traveling around the post-Civil War United States. Having been to Europe, he realized that "no black man born and raised in the United States of America can realize what it is to be absolutely free."
He's pictured above with his wife, Harriet. Read the full column here.
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We're currently seeking launch sponsors for our new website! (Currently under construction.) Support locally owned news and reach thousands of Portage County's most active residents. Write to ads@theportager.com to learn more about advertising.
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Aurora
Dude, where's your mask?
 After a picture of two Aurora officials posing with the local U.S. Marshal was published in the Aurora Advocate, at least one reader noticed none of the men were wearing masks and asked us to look into it. The city has a policy that requires masks.
We didn't get an answer from any of the men in the photograph, but our reporter Wendy DiAlesandro caught up with the mayor, who says she issued a verbal warning.
- Aurora Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin told us the employees were issued a verbal warning, which is "what any city employee would get for a first instance of noncompliance," she wrote.
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Letter to the editor
The reality of the past
Thank you so much for the story on Father Simpson. In 1966 he married us at St. Peter of the Fields Church in Rootstown. Before that he helped me convert to Catholicism. He was intelligent and kind and funny.
We were very young and nervous, and my soon-to-be husband dropped the ring during the vows. Father Simpson joked with us and made us relax. We were so sad when he died so young.
It never occurred to me that he had to put up with the racism he endured. Stories like this help us all realize the reality of the past.
Barb Knapp
The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. You can submit to editors@theportager.com.
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News briefs
Thank a social worker when you get a chance
 Kent Social Services was featured in the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank blog, looking at the effects of the pandemic and how KSS has had to change the logistics of daily operations to keep serving meals.
“If we can feed one person, then I know we’ve done our job," said Program Manager Marquice Seward in the blog post.
More news:
- Fun fact: The Streetsboro Fire Department will be doing dive rescue training at the pond in Trail Lake Park tomorrow through Thursday. The park will remain open.
- Kent State nursing students can nominate their clinical preceptor (that's nursing mentor, for the rest of us) for the Barbara Donaho award until March 5. Go here to show some love for your educator.
- Slightly old news, but for the record: Devo is up for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination. KentWired has the details.
- Kent State's Prentice Cafe is permanently closed to make way for an academic learning center. Read more here.
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I know everybody's pretty tired of Medium dot com. I certainly am. We're really close to being able to launch at least a beta version of our very own new website. It won't have all the bells and whistles, but at least we'll be able to host articles there without any kind of paywall. Should be ready by the end of the month, tops. Thanks for sticking with us through the rocky early days of the new publication. You'll be able to say, "I remember The Portager when..."
Thanks for reading, everybody. See you back here Wednesday.
Ben
330-249-1338
ben@theportager.com
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