Today is March 19, 2021.
- Tomorrow is the first official day of spring! And mother nature is showing up for it. Only a high of 44 today, but plenty of sunshine. It'll keep climbing over the weekend, with a high of 60 tomorrow and 70 on Sunday. Nighttime temperatures could drop below freezing though.
|
|
Covid-19
More vaccines need more space
 The Portage County health department is opening a mass vaccination site at Kent State's Field House on March 23. The site will replace the NEOMED location and will be able to accommodate more people as vaccine eligibility expands.
What you need to know:
- The Field House vaccination site will be open every Tuesday this spring.
- The vaccine is free, but registration is required. Go here to register to be scheduled for an appointment.
- Starting today, vaccine eligibility is open to anyone aged 40 and up and anyone with certain conditions including cancer, COPD, obesity and chronic kidney or heart disease.
- Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available at the clinic.
- PCHD expects to vaccinate around 2,500 people on the site’s opening day.
Starting March 22, PARTA will offer free rides to vaccination clinics in Portage County. The service is by appointment only. Call 330-672-7433 to schedule a ride.
|
|
Commission
The county's new acting finance director is also the sheriff's finance director
Commissioners Vicki Kline and Tony Badalamenti placed former Portage County Finance Director Todd Bragg on paid leave and named David Lair the acting finance director.
Lair is a former Geauga County administrator and currently works part time with the Portage County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's chief deputy, Ralph Spidalieri, is currently also a Geauga County commissioner. So I guess the band is back together.
- Commissioner Sabrina Christian-Bennett was not at yesterday's meeting. The commissioners' clerk said Christian-Bennett had been exposed to Covid and was in quarantine. Nonetheless, Badalamenti, pictured above, is still defying public health guidance by refusing to wear a mask.
Read the full coverage.
|
|
SPONSORED BY MARATHON FINANCIAL SERVICES
|
|
Schools
Kent City Schools are hoping for a more normal fourth quarter
 K-12 students will be expected to attend in-person classes four days a week beginning in April. The preschool schedule will remain unchanged.
More school news:
- Windham schools will be providing extra support for students struggling with the pandemic learning models. After-school tutoring will be available April 6 through May 20. And they're also serving dinner! Read more here.
|
|
Kent
City council made a few things more official
Kent City Council gave final approval for a bunch of stuff on Wednesday. Haymaker Farmers' Market is good to go this spring, a loan to Parks and Recreation was approved and Kent City Health Department will get more space at the PARTA Central Gateway building.
- Council also heard representatives from Fair Housing Contact Service, who provide education and home counseling services to tenants and landlords.
I love Roger Sidoti's smile in that screenshot. It's a genuine smile. Did you know there's a difference?
|
|
|
There are only three launch sponsor spots left for our new website. Support locally owned news and get over 40,000 impressions per month. Write to ads@theportager.com to learn more about advertising.
|
|
Higher ed
Kent State's spring commencement will be in person
The Spring Class of 2021 will have an almost normal commencement ceremony this year, and there will be a separate in-person ceremony in the fall honoring 2020 alumni. You can read more about it here.
To sum it up:
- The celebrations will be outdoors at the Centennial Court Green, and masks and distancing will be required.
- There will be a virtual commencement on May 15 for all colleges and degrees.
|
|
News briefs
It takes a lot of red tape to hang a few flower baskets
 Mantua Village Council is working through the legal details to hang spring decorations around town. They also discussed spring repairs, Covid-friendly festivals and Buchert Park updates at Tuesday's meeting. Read more.
More news:
- Shalersville Township is expecting grant funds to finalize park improvements. There won't be a Memorial Day parade this year, but trustees say there will still be a public ceremony.
- Nelson Township spring cleanup will be May 1 and 2 at the Nelson Community Center. Trustees encourage residents to vote for the $1 million renewal levy to keep the community center up and running.
- Kids at St. Patrick School in Kent raised $9,633 for the American Heart Association as a part of their Kids Heart Challenge, a program which promotes physical activity and heart health education.
- Former Portage County Commissioner Kathleen Clyde will be speaking at a webinar event on racism as a public health crisis. Learn more and register here.
- A Cleveland restaurant chain is expanding to Streetsboro. It's been causing some controversy because of it's Native American "theme" and massive mural on the building, pictured here.
|
|
Word of advice: Never eat a huge bowl of chickpeas.
See you back here Monday!
Ben
330-249-1338
ben@theportager.com
|
|
|
Portage County’s locally owned news source.
Our mission is to help our community thrive.
|
|
|
|
