— Thousands of protestors lined South Westnedge Avenue in Portage on Saturday for the May Day National Day of Action the protests were a rally for workers' rights and community action protestors are protesting the administration's moves involving the defunding of schools "We can see how many lives are going to be affected that that is the kind of trickle down that we're seeing right now We aren't seeing trickle down from giving money to corporations trickle down of economic vandalism," said State Representative Matt Longjohn (D- 40th district) The protest also featured a community food drive and a trash pickup effort Attendees were asked to bring a donation for local food banks Bill Huizenga's office and the Michigan House Republicans for comment but didn't receive a response at the publishing of this article 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Portage Point Partners interim management and financial services firm focused on the middle market welcomes Galya Appell as a Managing Director in the Performance Improvement Practice Galya brings more than two decades of experience leading value creation and preservation strategies building economic resilience and spearheading operational transformations across the financial services insurance and financial technology sectors Galya has led a diverse set of transformation and corporate development initiatives ranging from $10 million to $5 billion mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions to a $500 million rapid operational transformation tied to a take-private transaction She has also spearheaded numerous digital transformation programs delivering meaningful cost savings and enterprise-wide synergies "Having formerly served in senior roles at AmeriLife and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Galya has a proven track record of delivering sustainable value across complex organizations," said Arun Lamba Managing Director and Head of Performance Improvement at Portage Point "Her ability to bring clarity to ambiguity and accelerate operational impact is exactly what clients need in today's environment with her complementary expertise in finance and insurance I am confident Galya will make an immediate and lasting contribution to the Portage Point platform." "I am thrilled to join Portage Point at such an exciting time in the firm's growth," said Galya "This uniquely integrated platform and its focus on providing a continuum of impactful solutions resonate with the objectives I have with every client – to deliver best-in-class results I look forward to collaborating with highly experienced team members across Transaction Advisory Services Office of the CFO and Turnaround & Restructuring Services at Portage Point to drive transformative outcomes." "Adding Galya to the team underscores our dedication to enhancing the platform through top-tier talent acquisition," said Matthew Ray Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Portage Point "Her strategic insights and operational expertise will be invaluable to clients and team members as the firm continues to deliver capabilities and solutions that identify value capture mitigate risks and positively impact middle market stakeholders." Galya served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at AmeriLife where she led several critical value-unlocking initiatives and helped prepare the company for a successful capital raise private enterprises and principal investors Galya began her career as an investment professional in a private equity fund focused on growth capital transactions in emerging markets across Europe interim management and financial services firm focused on the middle.. Banking & Financial Services Financial Technology Financial Technology Personnel Announcements Do not sell or share my personal information: Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted you can call RAINN’s national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support PORTAGE, Wis. — At least 1.2 million Wisconsin adults have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) And close to one in five high school students reported someone has forced them into sexual acts they didn’t want to do, DHS data shows. In Wisconsin, there are over 1,500 substantiated cases of sexual child abuse according to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault Experts say one of the best ways to prevent sexual abuse is to learn and teach others about it Jess Kaehny is the community education program manager with Hope House a nonprofit that aims to prevent abuse and provide support to victims of domestic and sexual violence.  “So how this is going to work for our time together is we are going to watch six video clips and after each video clip you are going to be answering some questions,” said Kaehny while teaching a room full of community leaders about sexual abuse prevention.  Kaehny said she often goes to schools to teach kids and teens about domestic and sexual abuse prevention.  she met with community leaders in Portage to teach them how to prevent sexual abuse.  “I think it is something that affects so many others and we don’t necessarily talk about it and the more we bring awareness and shed light on these issues the more we can help address and prevent them,” said Kaehny.  The Stewards of Children training teaches adults practical actions they can take to reduce instances of child sexual abuse in their organizations “It is just this notion that it should not be up to kids to protect themselves from sexual abuse It is really our jobs as adults to take action get educated and work together to make sure it does not happen,” said Kaehny.  Jamison Smith is the director at River Haven Homeless Shelter in Portage. Smith said many of the people her team works with have a history with sexual abuse She said she took the training to make sure her team was equipped to offer the best help they can.  “We want to give them some type of hope and encouragement to keep moving forward and try to get some help while they are in that space of waiting until the next step,” said Smith.  Smith said River Haven has a 30-day program where they work to not only find people housing but to help people get back on their feet and she thinks this training will help with that I need to know as much information as possible that they are comfortable with giving so that I can make sure they are getting the right supports and just following up to make sure they understand that I am not just giving you a number to reach out to I want to make sure that you are still okay,” said Smith.  Kaehny said the training held in April was offered to a mix of law enforcement health care workers and those working in education.  She said it is always good to talk about sexual boundaries with your children.  “It is always a good time to revisit it and keep these as ongoing conversations around their bodies and boundaries and consent especially as kids get older,” said Kaehny “History has its eyes on the White House.” So said one sign at a protest Saturday afternoon in Portage Demonstrators expressed their opposition to many actions of the second Trump administration as they stood along Westnedge Avenue near the Crossroads Mall with signs pointed toward the road Motorists honked for messages such as “No Kings,” and “First they came for Kilmar next they can come for you.” Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to a prison in El Salvador despite having permission to stay in the United States One car displayed what may have been an improvised sign as it passed by the protest A passenger held a whiteboard with an anti-DOGE message out the window The official theme of the event was workers’ rights But many signs focused on democracy and the rule of law Jim Brady of Battle Creek attended with his wife He said he came to protest because President Donald Trump is undermining 250 years of due process "He has actually thrown that out the window and has his own agenda and thinks he’s right He held a sign that name-checked Attorney General Pam Bondi Heather Carr packed up a sign-making station she’d set up with her 14-year-old son Hayden and 12-year-old daughter Keely "There was a group of three teenage girls and they were helping an older gentleman make a sign for him and it was really cool It’s nice to see how this is kind of bringing generations together," she said of Princess Celestia saying that she would be better a president," she added Keely explained that Princess Celestia is the Queen of Equestria on My Little Pony A young man who works at a nearby business added that he did not think the event would hurt business "You've got more people driving around here "Usually we're kind of busy based on how many people are out and around the mall area." he said he and his coworkers try not to discuss it The demonstrators were not the only ones trying to get people's attention in the 6000 block of South Westnedge Avenue Saturday afternoon A couple of people held a sign for the going-out-of-business sale at nearby Joann Fabrics At one point they seemed to poke fun at being upstaged shouting about the sale and cheering as motorists honked Northwest Health has welcomed cardiothoracic surgeon Sinan Simsir With more than 20 years of experience in treating complex heart and lung conditions,Dr Simsir brings advanced surgical expertise and a patient-centered approach to the region He joinedNorthwest Medical Group - Cardiothoracic Surgery office located at 85 E Simsir’s expertise includes the use of ventricular assist devices (VAD) He has held leadership roles in lung and heart transplant and advanced heart failure programs at several well-established cardiothoracic centers acrossthe country including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and Advocate Christ Medical Centerin Oak Lawn A pioneer in advanced cardiothoracic care and having founded lifesaving programs at leading medicalcenters across the country Simsir brings a wealth of experience to the region Simsir founded the VAD program that provides critical support for patients with advancedheart failure He also served as the founding Surgical Director of the lung transplantation program atAdvocate Christ Medical Center and the VAD program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center inNeptune N.J He founded the ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) programs at Jersey ShoreUniversity Medical Center and Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee as well Simsir’s arrival marks an exciting advancement in cardiothoracic care in our region,” NorthwestHealth - Porter CEO James Leonard leadership in growinglifesaving programs and dedication to patient-centered care will be an incredible asset to ourcommunity.” Simsir pursued his medical education at Marmara University in Istanbul before completingresidencies in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Massachusetts Hospital and General Surgery at the University of Minnesota Simsir also trained as a fellow in Thoracic Transplantation and VAD and was an assistant professor at Duke University Medical Center He is board-certified by the AmericanBoard of Thoracic Surgery Known for his clear communication and compassionate care Simsir takes time to explain proceduresin a way patients can understand earning the trust of both patients and their families Share Good News Contact Us Meet Our Team Expect Tuesday's primary election to be a little different those who do show up to vote in Portage County elections will receive paper ballots Democratic voters in only one town will decide on candidates but every voter will see issues on their ballot We're explaining five things to know about the May 6 primary election Only 25% of Portage County's registered voters are expected to cast ballots in the primary director of the Portage County Board of Elections Lyon said the board was making the projection based on early absentee voting Although voters will decide many local contests in the November general election most either didn't draw enough candidates to trigger a primary or are non-partisan races that don't have primaries in May Every voter in Portage County will be able to vote on issues What issues will voters face?Declaring a political party will not be required for the primary election Three school districts in Portage County also will be seeking additional funding where voters have turned down four consecutive requests for new money would cost homeowners $192 per year per $100,000 in home value Streetsboro City Schools' voters will be asked to pass Issue 13 a 5.0-mill continuing levy for emergency requirements The levy would generate $3.885 million a year and cost homeowners $175 per year per $100,000 in home value which has residents in Portage and Summit counties six-year emergency levy "to avoid an operating deficit." The levy would cost $208 per year per $100,000 in home value It is the fourth trip to the ballot for Mogadore Voters in Springfield Local School District will be asked to pass two renewals − one at 2.74 mills and another at 7 mills Some Portage County voters also will consider a 1-mill bond issue for the Akron-Summit County Public Library that would generate $1.6 million and cost $35 per year per $100,000 in home value Brimfield voters will decide on two levies for roads and bridges − a 0.95-mill levy that generates $262,000 annually and costs homeowners $18 per year per $100,000 in home valuation; and a 1.9-mill levy that generates $546,000 annually and costs homeowners $38 per year per $100,000 in valuation Hiram voters will be asked to pass a replacement levy for roads and bridges a 3-mill levy that would generate $363,000 annually and cost homeowners $105 per year per $100,000 in home valuation Local liquor options are on the ballot in Kent The only town that has candidates on the ballot is Kent which has democrats running for its three at-large seats on City Council The three who secure the most votes will face off with Republican Cecil Anderson in November The mayoral contest in Kent also will be on the ballot the only candidate to seek the office is Democrat Jack Amrhein who has served on City Council for 17 years which means he can serve as acting mayor if Jerry Fiala is unavailable Fiala is an independent and has until May 5 to decide whether to run again Some Brimfield residents overlap into Tallmadge and can cast ballots in the Democratic primary for Tallmadge City Council There are four Democrats on the ballot − Jessica Epstein There are no Republicans seeking the office Voters who are still hanging onto their absentee ballots are running out of time to mail it or bring it to the Portage County Board of Elections' office in Ravenna Absentee ballots can be mailed to the Board of Elections office and must be postmarked no later than May 5 regardless of how early they are postmarked The absentee ballots also can be delivered by hand to the Board of Elections office located on the first floor of the Portage County Administration Building Those delivered this way must be received by 7:30 p.m Paper ballots for this electionRemember paper ballots Portage County residents will vote in an old school fashion on May 6 "Portage County is one of the counties required to use paper signature and poll books this election in lieu of our electronic pollpads," Lyon said "This decision was at the direction of the Secretary of State." Sunday is the last day for in-person, early voting at the Portage County Board of Elections, which will be open 1 to 5 p.m. Voters will only be able to cast ballots in-person at their polling place on May 6. Voters can find a list of polling places or look up their polling place on the Board of Elections website Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at dsmith@recordpub.com South Westnedge Avenue in Portage will be the site of another protest against the Trump administration on Saturday The Kalamazoo chapter of the national group Indivisible is organizing the event But given the many controversial actions of the second Trump administration organizer Ken Greschak expects that attendees won’t stick to one issue “It’s really just an ability or a need to kind of come together as a collective to raise our voices and make a ruckus about what we feel are all the terrible things that are happening at the national level," he said Various groups have held local anti-Trump protests in Kalamazoo But he added that participants have plenty to rally against “Every day when the administration is doing something surprisingly terrible again and again and again I think it just keeps people motivated all the more.” Organizer Carol Anderson said the demonstrators will also give back by collecting food donations and picking up trash “It's not just standing out there with a sign It's about knowing that you're contributing to making Kalamazoo and the greater Kalamazoo area a place that supports all people," she said A wave of other protests against the Trump administration are set to take place in Southwest Michigan and around the country in the coming days with protests in Battle Creek and Benton Harbor also taking place on Saturday Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program — A bereaved Southwest Michigan family is speaking out after the Michigan Supreme Court's rulings to mandate resentencing of all individuals convicted of murder at ages 18 who were previously sentenced to life without the possibility of parole William and Mildred Witters were brutally murdered inside of their Portage home near Sugarloaf Lake on April 25 and great grandchildren of the Witters are now speaking up on behalf of victims and victims' families throughout the state after being "retraumatized" by having to relive such tragedies there's a resurgence of what you thought was done," said Marcy Wujkowski "I don't know any other word other than an injustice." "It's almost like we're getting to the point of making funeral arrangements because this is all brought up again were stabbed to death inside of their home by then 18-year-old Johnathan Thomas and 19-year-old Christopher Maye who subsequently robbed the Witters' home The Portage and greater Kalamazoo community was deeply affected by the tragedy with over 600 people reportedly attending the Witters' funeral and she had to lay in her bed and listen to her husband being stabbed over 20 times," Doerferr said about her elderly mother who was suffering from Parkinson's Disease "Shame on Supreme Court Justice Kagan for using the Eighth Amendment "And to think of cruel and unusual punishment Is that not torture?" William Witters Jr Thomas and Maye could now be eligible for parole when it comes time to be resentenced under the Supreme Court's new ruling that mandatory life sentences without the possibility for parole is considered a violation of the eighth amendment citing "cruel and unusual punishment," for offenders under the age of 20 "Resentenced murderers that could become your neighbor "Life in prison without the possibility of parole is a proportionate sentence for murdering somebody." "They're actually turning the criminal into the victim by saying you got the chance to be resentenced." Assistant Prosecutor Jeff Williams of Kalamazoo County acknowledged the challenge We go in with a presumption that the life without parole sentence that most of these folks are currently serving is inappropriate and hopefully to get an outcome that the the victim's families are happy with." The family is bracing for the impact of the resentencing process expecting the first hearing to begin sometime in the fall And we're seeing because it's so personal They're tipping - not in the right direction." The Witters family hopes to unite with other victims' families to have their voices heard. They can be contacted at Justice4Witters@gmail.com They’ll receive a major setback if the Ohio House of Representatives budget becomes law executive director of Reed Memorial Library would lower funding over the next two years from $1.02 billion to $990 million bringing funding to levels from the year 2000 is the House proposal to change the way Ohio funds its public libraries the Public Library Fund collects 1.7% of Ohio’s anticipated total revenues The Ohio House would change this to a line-item in the budget that is subject to the whims of Ohio legislators at budget time or in between Ohio’s Public Library Fund has a good friend in Republican Gov who proposed raising the 1.7% figure to 1.75% and he’s term-limited and leaves office after next year If his successor is not as library-friendly Reed Memorial Library has a $2.6 million annual budget Local funding from a 1.5-mill levy accounts for 40% of the budget The remainder comes from Reed Memorial Friends foundation and other donations and fines The Kent Free Library’s annual budget is $3,076,647 with 60% from the Ohio Public Library Fund A local 1.8-mill levy provides 28% of the funding The remaining comes from interest on investments The Portage County District Library operates libraries and branches in Garrettsville $2,894,332 comes from Ohio’s Public Library Fund executive director of the Portage County Library joined library supporters April 8 in the atrium of the Statehouse in Columbus to lobby Ohio legislators to improve funding She said she also did not see Kristina Roegner who represents Portage County in the 27th District whose 72nd House District encompasses most of Portage County Both joined fellow Republicans in approving the budget cuts Compounding fears of budget cuts might be new curbs on what publicly funded libraries may offer Ohio House Bill 96 requires libraries to segregate materials referring to gender identity or LGBTQIA Young said Reed already separates materials by age group “We think it is the parents’ responsibility to guide what their own children read,” she said Reed Memorial Library and the Kent Free Library are “school district” libraries whose seven trustees are appointed by local boards of education County library boards also have seven trustees with four trustees appointed by county commissioners and three by judges from Common Pleas Court House Bill 96 would reduce terms of library board members from seven to four years and change county budget commissions by replacing the county prosecutor with a third county commissioner and let the county budget commission decide if a library initiative could get on the ballot Young takes pride in Reed Memorial Library’s participation in the life of the community some 19,175 people attended its events and 219,638 items were checked out She said Reed issued 1,240 new library cards and provided notary services for hundreds of documents She said Reed Memorial Library works with Ravenna’s Park and Recreation Department on summer activities for young people including the kickoff to the summer reading program It works with the Portage County Park District to provide nature bags for nature walks and the Story Trail at Dix Park It collaborates with businesses to help teachers in providing school materials for youngsters whose families cannot afford them It provides a safe after-school environment for young people whose parents are working and cannot be home It supports the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce’s Midnight Madness and is hosting Main Street Ravenna’s Art on Main fundraiser It offers musical events and lectures and space for organizational meetings All three library systems support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library that sends books to every registered youngster once a month Reducing the state’s underwriting may jeopardize Ohio’s libraries continuing their robust community involvement and possibly core operations Dix is a former publisher of The Record-Courier lacrosse players from Portage Northern and Portage Central met on the turf to settle their lacrosse differences they did so in the name of one of their own The 20th Matt Thrasher Memorial Challenge was held Saturday with Northern defeating Central by a final score of 9-5 The day featured games between lacrosse teams of different age groups like the 5th and 6th grade teams The Portage Muskies girls team also faced off with Mattawan with the visiting Wildcats coming away with a 17-8 win Thrasher was a high school freshman who died in a boating accident in 2004 not long after the teenager had picked up the sport of lacrosse the lacrosse community came together to create a fundraiser to support the growth and development of lacrosse in the Portage community as well as raise scholarship funds for those who have given so much of their time and love to the sport that Matt held dear This year's scholarship winners were Cameron Bates-McCullog and Addison Munn of Portage Northern and Mitchell Pridgeon Ava Pickett and Kaley Sheahan of Portage Central The following are the latest results of Portage County Health Department inspections on licensed food establishments and other types of businesses which the Stevens Point Journal reports monthly Portage County inspections: One restaurant with 13 violations and three ace January 2025 reports Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33 by Tylor Brummett | News Channel 3 — The Portage City Council has given its approval to begin construction on more than 40 affordable homes on a four-acre plot of land which has been in the works for four years will bring 42 homes to a field near Stanley Avenue and Woodbine Avenue The subdivision will be called Stanwood Crossings and will be partially paid for by county millage funds Project leaders told News Channel 3 they realize there's a major need for affordable housing in West Michigan "It's been a city council goal for the last several years," Portage Chief Development Officer Pete Dame said "The highest priority of the city council has been to reduce the housing problem in Kalamazoo County in particular in the City of Portage." Construction on the first 12 homes is scheduled to begin in June "I think the neighborhood will see an increase in property values because these are actually very nice homes that people will add to the value of the neighborhood," Dame said The whole project is expected to be complete in three and a half years The Portage Farmers Market opens for the season on Sunday — The Portage Farmers Market is set to return for the season Sunday Opening Day for the Farmers Market will feature live music from local musician Mike Talbot The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) will host 17th annual Green-A-Thon the YAC will give away tree seedlings of White Pine The Portage Farmers Market runs at Portage City Hall every Sunday from May 4 to October 12 patrons can grab a bite to eat and listen to live music from local musicians each week More information can be found by calling Portage Parks & Recreation at (269) 329-4522 or by visiting this website LINWOOD − The Portage County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a person whose body was found April 28 who was believed to have gone fishing near West River Drive and Portage County HH in the Portage County town of Linwood according to a Portage County Sheriff's Office news release The circumstances surrounding the person's death is under investigation by the Portage County Sheriff's Office and Medical Examiner's Office The Portage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Portage County Medical Examiner’s Office,Rudolph Fire Department and Rudolph EMS Portage County inspections: 2 restaurants with 9 violations and 1 requires reinspection More local news: Stevens Point & Portage County leaders optimistic about city hall, courthouse agreement Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our mother grandmother and great grandmother Dorothy McIvor 1943 to Evelyn (nee Poyser) and Herbert Radford and raised on the family farm in MacGregor Dorothy will be lovingly remembered by her children Teresa McIvor Cosford Myrna McIvor; grandchildren Marissa and Dayton (Sam) Cosford Summer and Shay Stone; great grandchildren Charlotte She was predeceased by her husband of 57 years Keith McIvor Mom stayed at home to raise her children to school age before opening McIvor’s Garage & Snack Bar in Westbourne She was a 4-H leader and volunteered at school working 1 on 1 with kids that needed it She loved spending time with the great grandchildren looking forward to reading books and snuggling and singing them to sleep Mom was very handy and made a lot of clothing for her children and grandchildren She was always knitting or crocheting sweaters mitts and blankets and giving them to whomever needed them She enjoyed selling her goods with her sisters at craft sales Mom had a green thumb and loved her indoor plants beautiful flower beds and had 3 large gardens to feed everyone for the winter Mom was a good cook and when you came for a visit you never went away hungry Goodbyes are not the end They simply mean we’ll miss you until we meet again At mom’s request there will be no funeral Please spend Mother’s Day with your loved ones and remember her fondly donations can be made in Dorothy’s memory to Cancer Care Manitoba A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors And he was inspired to become a better human being “The fact that a short film could have that kind of impact on me,” Steve Michalik said And that’s the impetus behind the Solange Film Festival which makes its debut in Pittsburgh the weekend of May 2-4 Michalik serves as president of Portage Learning an online educational institution in Beaver Falls sponsoring the event While one might be surprised by higher education collaborating with filmmakers “Education isn’t limited to educational institutions,” Michalik explained “The stories we share really do shape our world and teach us in unique ways We’re hoping to build community – and inspire change in our communities – through the power of personal stories.” Portage Learning is no stranger to film festivals It has a talented film team of its own and has submitted entries in other events members of the Solange board attended the noted Tribeca Sundance and Washington West festivals to get a better feel for how to organize and pace the upcoming weekend in Pittsburgh Solange is a Latin word derived from “sol,” which means sun the French have adopted it as a name meaning dignity or solemnness and the festival board felt it fit the theme perfectly “We hope to inspire and challenge our audience by giving attention to films that tell overlooked stories with dignity executive director of the festival and a Solange board member “We were blown away by the quality of work entered Entries were submitted from filmmakers around the globe and 21 were selected for the inaugural festival Six of the films are feature-length and 15 are shorts including “Terminally Ill,” the one that sent waves of emotion through Michalik with the directors fielding audience questions in between Ours said the weekend’s vibe will be laidback drinks and merchandise will be available each day Come for a block or for the entire festival.” “We promise you’ll leave with a new sense of hope for what our community can become.” More information: Visit solangeff.com to buy tickets and see a complete list of showtimes One of the biggest moves of the last decade is creating more affordable housing for people as there are always more people entering the adult world every year we won't ignore the problems that we have with homelessness and other issues that make it hard to maintain or afford a home Affordable housing is all about finding a way to work with someone's income to provide them housing resources that they need There are several different types of affordable housing options and they all have their own regulations on who qualifies and can maintain their residence The new subdivision will be named Stanwood Crossings as the multi-million-dollar project will bring 42 homes to the community The project will be partially paid for by county millage funds as construction is set to begin on June 1st. The neighborhood will be on a 4-acre property between Austin Lake and West Lake, just east of Portage Road and south of Lakeview Park They are expecting the project to take about 3 1/2 years to complete They will begin by only building the first 12 homes so the city council can monitor project progress and funding. There are four basic designs for the homes, Two single-story options and two two-story single-family homes two or three bedrooms and two or two-and-a-half bathrooms The new subdivision will be named Stanwood Crossings as the multi-million-dollar project will bring 42 homes to the community.\nRead More The project will be partially paid for by county millage funds as construction is set to begin on June 1st. The neighborhood will be on a 4-acre property between Austin Lake and West Lake, just east of Portage Road and south of Lakeview Park They will begin by only building the first 12 homes so the city council can monitor project progress and funding. There are four basic designs for the homes, Two single-story options and two two-story single-family homes The new Ohio High School Athletic Association football divisions for 2025 brought one major change locally Mogadore is back in Division VII for the first time since the 2016 season shifting down a division because of an enrollment decline The Wildcats have competed in Division VI in each of the last eight seasons Mogadore is the last local team to make it to the state title game and Aurora is the last team to advance to state falling in the Division III semifinals in 2019 Aurora and Roosevelt remain in Division III Portage County's three Metro Athletic Conference teams — Field Ravenna and Streetsboro — remain lodged in Division IV The county's two Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier teams Rootstown is now the area's lone team in Division VI while Mogadore is joining Waterloo and Windham in Division VII's Region 25 Patti Coppess and her husband moved to Portage in 1995 a big believer in giving back to local communities volunteers in various ways for the Portage community “I always felt that if you don’t give back to your community Her husband retired approximately four years after the couple moved to Portage resulting in some new extra time on his schedule As such it was the perfect time for Coppess to get her husband involved in volunteering with her I was already doing Rebuilding Together in Michigan City,” Coppess said The couple participates in several volunteer opportunities together “We both belong to the exchange club and do several things with them,” Coppess said Coppess is particularly passionate about her volunteer work with the Portage Township Food Pantry she volunteers there at least five days a week I more or less devoted myself to the food pantry,” Coppess said “I do pickups from different stores to locations I also help distribute just to help out in any way I can The food pantry is a necessity for the community Coppess said that most people who come to the Portage Township Food Pantry are seniors Volunteering there makes Coppess happy because it puts a smile on the face of others.  “It gives me joy because it gives other people joy,” she said “It kind of rubs off on you to help out in the community and it’s enlightening to see people joyous over getting fresh food.” While volunteering at the food pantry is a passion of Coppess’ she has additional hobbies that she enjoys The couple likes to travel together and have a trip planned in the coming months to Tennessee The couple travels one to two times per year together Coppess loves traveling and wishes she could do it more which is a project that facilitates postcard sending between people that do not know each other Coppess’ impact on the Portage community through her volunteerism is significant This is particularly true at the food pantry where each week other local community members depend on her time and work to fuel themselves and their families She sets an example of giving back that is admirable to many of the people she helps out Loading.. Cole Perfetti Scores With 1.6 Seconds Left in Regulation to Tie the Game ShareTweetJETS OFF TO SECOND ROUND OF PLAYOFFS WITH 4-3 DOUBLE OT WIN IN GAME 7Like a miracle the Winnipeg Jets are moving on to Round 2 of the Stanely Cup playoffs. And you had to be there You just had to experience a 4-3 double overtime victory in Game 7 because it doesn’t happen every day.Loading... Wow When Vlad Namestnikov scored at 18:05 of the third period and the St Canada Life Centre awakened with a roar. But when Cole Perfetti scored with 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation time to tie the game at 3-3 you’d have thought a tornado went through downtown Winnipeg and then turned into thunder.Sign Up For Our Hockey Newsletter!Loading.. Covered his first Jets game for the Winnipeg Free Press in 1980 STEVENS POINT − Portage County staff spent three days the week of April 21 going through their needs in a new county courthouse jail and law enforcement center with architects working on the schematics The designs being worked on by the county call for city offices to move out of the combined City Hall and Courthouse building downtown Although an official agreement between Portage County and the city of Stevens Point hasn't been reached both are optimistic that it will be in the near future The city occupies about 27% of the current building although we're very close," Mayor Mike Wiza said "I have a higher degree of confidence than I've had in 20 years in regards to finding a solution to the courthouse security problem." Wiza said he expects the negotiations that have been going on between the city and county will become public in May More local news: How temporary road safety measures aim to eliminate traffic fatalities in Portage County Local business news: Fuel On Wisconsin continues rebrand of The Store locations & plans to reopen 3 sites but the state passed over the additional position because the county didn't have space for a fourth courtroom gives the county enough space for the fourth courtroom It also will allow the county to take care of all the security issues it has with the current building The architects will meet with staff again in a month or two and hone in on the things that need changing Dewberry will do a detailed drawing that will include information on the sizes of all the offices and exactly where everything will be placed The plans will then go to Findorff Construction Findorff will go through all the building's systems the company should be able to give the county an estimate that is within 5% of the total cost Pavelski anticipates the more detailed drawings and final numbers should be ready sometime around October the Portage County Board can look at everything and decide whether to move forward with it If they approve the plans and borrowing issue although there still will be things that need deciding One big issue will be whether to keep the courtrooms in the current building while the construction is happening or move them to a different location Pavelski is optimistic about the proposed plan's future There has been conflict about the project in the past but much of it was because the city wanted to keep the courthouse and jail in the downtown area which would have added extra cost to the county The current plan keeps the courtrooms and most of the county offices downtown while building a new Portage County Jail and Law Enforcement Center on land the county bought in Plover near the intersection of Portage County B and R The new location will give the county more space and will improve response times for deputies Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski has signed agreements with federal authorities that turn his department into a sort of extension of the U.S So far, only three of Ohio’s 88 county sheriffs – in Portage Butler and Seneca –  have signed such agreements which provide sweeping new powers to target undocumented immigrants which Zuchowski last year on Facebook referred to as "Illegal human 'Locust.'" Portage County deputies can now interrogate anyone they suspect of being in the U.S arrest anyone who tries to unlawfully enter the country or who might escape ICE will not pay or reimburse the Portage County Sheriff’s Office for this additional work which will be folded into a myriad of other ongoing responsibilities tracking local sex offenders and processing concealed carry gun permits It’s not clear if Portage County deputies have yet used these new powers returned text and voicemail messages left by the Beacon Journal Friday morning The sheriff's office announced the ICE partnership April 11 on Facebook saying Zuchowski supports "President Trump's efforts to make America safe." "Although Portage County may not be a border community the impacts of crime do not stop at border towns and in many ways impact communities throughout our country," the statement reads we have encountered illegal immigrants during the course of our daily responsibilities." chair of the Portage County Democratic Party and retired chief assistant county prosecutor called Zuchowski’s agreement with ICE “grandstanding.” “I think it fits into the pattern generally of his administration … of fixing problems in Ohio that don’t exist,” she said “Portage County does not have an immigration problem.” Census estimates the Portage County population to be about 163,000 Many immigrants are concentrated in two areas of Portage County near Kent State University and the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown In April, federal authorities revoked the visas of an international student and three recent graduates with postgraduate work permits, KSU President Todd Diacon said recently It’s unclear if Portage County deputies had anything to do with the action involving KSU students said if she were stopped in traffic by any law enforcement agency now she would provide her driver’s license and registration and refuse to answer questions without an attorney present She said others should learn what their legal rights are under state and U.S “Let’s hope (Zuchowski) provides the due process that’s required,” she said “That’s the part that scares me – taking someone into custody and transporting them somewhere without giving them the ability to have their voice heard in court.” Due process has been an issue with deportations during the first three months of President Donald Trump’s second term reported that 75% of Venezuelan migrants deported by the U.S to an El Salvador prison had no public criminal record And the U.S. Supreme Court on April 10 ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of one of those deported immigrants a Maryland man swept up in deportation even after he was granted legal residency status by a federal judge in 2019 Smith warned Zuchowski’s work with ICE comes at a “cost Portage County residents will have to bear.” like the amount of time spent on immigration that might be spent on Portage County needs like civil suits brought by anyone illegally detained has received both praise and scorn for his views on politics and immigration Zuchowski posted this on both his personal and campaign Facebook pages referring to presidential contender Kamala Harris as a hyena:  “When people ask me … What’s gonna happen if the Flip–Flopping I say … write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards “Sooo … when the Illegal human ’Locust’ (which she supports!) Need places to live … We’ll already have the addresses of … their New families … who supported their arrival!” He later deleted the post, but the uproar continued. Some residents said they felt this was voter intimidation, particularly since Zuchowski is the top law enforcement officer in the county, and filed complaints with state and federal officials.  beat Democratic candidate Jon Barber by a 40,029-38,831 margin in November Portage County deputy has previous issue in Medina CountyIn December Zuchowski drew new scrutiny after his office hired one of two law enforcement officers accused of unlawfully detaining a man from East Africa outside a Medina County bar then a Lake County sheriff’s deputy who partnered with federal drug enforcement agents and Cleveland police officer Donald Kopchak were off-duty at the Buzzard’s Roost in Hinckley when a Black truck driver in the bar caught their attention numerous media reported that Lajack and Kopchak demanded the truck driver show identification before taking the man’s phone and wallet and leading him outside the bar where Kopchak pinned the truck driver to the ground until Brunswick police arrived In Brunswick police body camera footage a Brunswick police officer criticizes Lajack and Kopchak’s actions confirming that the truck driver was not only in the U.S but he had a clean license to drive a truck Brunswick officers on the video can be heard voicing surprise and disapproval over what their fellow law enforcement officers had done 'This guy is on some terrorist watch list,'" a Brunswick officer said After the incident, Lajack resigned from his Lake County job Beacon Journal news partner News 5 Cleveland reported Ohio Attorney General records show that the Portage County Sheriff’s Office hired Lajack weeks later The Ohio Attorney General’s online records show he remains with Cleveland police Zuchowski in December did not respond to various media outlets about why he hired Lajack or what Lajack would do in Portage County under the Portage County agreement with ICE would have had the authority to detain the truck driver The agreements Zuchowski signed with ICE are part of a broad effort by Trump to carry out a record number of deportations the Obama administration ended the use of the ICE partnership model Trump in his first term relaunched the program allowing local law enforcement to again partner with ICE After he was sworn in to a second term, Trump signed the "Protecting the American People Against Invasion" executive order, telling the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, to enter into more 287(g) agreement agreements according to the National Immigration Forum ICE details three partnership options available to state and local law enforcement agencies:  Zuchowski signed ICE agreements for warrant service and task force It’s not clear why he didn’t sign the jail enforcement agreement The warrant service and task force agreements in Portage County will allow sheriff’s deputies to arrest anyone without a warrant who tries to “unlawfully enter” the U.S and interrogate any person suspected of being in the county unlawfully ICE will pay travel expenses to train deputies on immigration law Portage County taxpayers will pay for personnel transportation of detainees and other costs Supporters of 287(g) say the program will make local communities safer national critics of the ICE partnerships with local law enforcement have said the program is fostering fear and distrust of authorities in immigrant communities And in 2022, the American Civil Liberties Union published a study called “License to Abuse: How ICE’s 287(g) Program Empowers Racist Sheriffs and Civil Rights Violations.” In it the ACLU examines the records of sheriff offices and other law enforcement agencies that participated in the ICE program it found 59% of sheriffs who joined the 287(g) program had a history of making anti-immigrant statements in their capacity as sheriff villainized immigrants as threats to public safety over-emphasizing the immigration status of individuals who had been charged with crimes Ohio Bobcats running back Anthony Tyus III (2) hurdles Syracuse Orange defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr (94) and Syracuse Orange defensive back Duce Chestnut (0) at the JMA Dome Saturday (Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com) Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.comScott Schild | sschild@syracuse .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matthew Ehler | mehler@mlive.comAnthony Tyus III is coming home The former Portage Northern star and Ohio University running back signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Detroit Lions on Saturday evening following the 2025 NFL Draft as first reported by WOUB Public Radio in Ohio .@AnthonyTyusIII ➡️ @Lions #OUohyeah pic.twitter.com/CsVt4QWYz7 Tyus III was in contact with the Lions after Ohio’s Pro Day earlier this year And with the Lions not drafting a running back in this year’s draft it gives Tyus III a legitimate chance to compete for a roster spot Detroit currently has four running backs on its roster: Jahmyr Gibbs who transferred to Ohio after spending his first three years at Northwestern enjoyed a breakout senior season in 2024 –– leading the Mid-American Conference in rushing Tyus III became a feature back and an instrumental piece to the Bobcats’ high-powered offense racking up 1,234 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on 237 carries (5.2 yards per carry) Tyus III formed a dynamic tandem with Ohio senior quarterback Parker Navarro who also eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing and accounted for 31 total touchdowns as the Bobcats enjoyed one of their best seasons in program history –– all capped by their sixth consecutive bowl victory a 30-27 triumph over Jacksonville State in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl After tallying just over 500 yards and two touchdowns at Northwestern 226-pound bruising and powerful ball carrier showcased his talents to the fullest in 2024 which earned him second team all-MAC honors The 2020 MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette Dream Team Player of the Year Tyus III rushed for over 100 yards in six games this past season –– including a 151-yard one-touchdown performance in a 38-3 MAC title game rout over Miami (OH) Tyus III accumulated nearly 4,500 rushing yards and 51 touchdowns at Portage Northern His running prowess helped lead the Huskies to their first district championships in program history in 2018 and 2019 Tyus III ran for 1,801 yards and 22 touchdowns on 174 carries That led to this eventual commitment to Northwestern as Tyus III chose the Wildcats over scholarship offers from Michigan State but struggled to crack the running back rotation and decided a change was necessary Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices .@AnthonyTyusIII ➡️ @Lions #OUohyeah pic.twitter.com/CsVt4QWYz7 STEVENS POINT − CREATE Portage County is officially opening in its new home on Maria Drive CREATE is hosting its grand opening event from 4 p.m April 19 at 1300 Maria Drive in Stevens Point Festivities include a double set from Rucksack Revolution including Adam Greuel from Horseshoes & Hand Grenades and Sarah Vos from Dead Horses CREATE Portage County will also offer exclusive memberships and rental offers at this event Tickets are available online for $10 in advance or they’ll be available for $20 at the door at the event CREATE Portage County’s new home is part of a larger redevelopment project called The Grove Francis announced in 2019 they would depart from their home on Maria Drive and finalized the property sale in March 2022 The project broke ground the following day creating senior living apartments and leased townhomes In April 2022, CREATE Portage County broke ground on the organization’s space in the project The Sisters wanted the organization to be part of the project because of its focus on education and inclusion and community service mirroring what originally brought the Sisters to Stevens Point in 1901 Crews have since been working on renovating 26,000 square feet of the former chapel and cafeteria space below for CREATE Much of the renovation kept the space visually similar preserving the longstanding history of the property Francis Convent Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023 as the group was not allowed to permanently secure anything to the walls the chapel area has all of its original windows the former altar space offers a stage fitted for sound rentable conference rooms stand on either side of the organ pipes in the mezzanine space overlooking the chapel A third conference room stands behind the organ pipes Groups can meet in the chapel area and work collaboratively on the main floor Other rooms behind and around the chapel area include a coffee station and a photo and video studio There’s also a multipurpose room that could be used for events CREATE’s space also includes a commercial kitchen a design lab with a 3D printer and a recording studio with audio and video gear For more information about CREATE Portage County or to purchase tickets to the grand opening event, visit createportagecounty.org or find CREATE Portage County on Facebook Contact Caitlin at cshuda@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPALMYRA TOWNSHIP Ohio (WOIO) - One of four teens riding in a Chevrolet Camaro believed to be speeding died after it overturned in Portage County OSHP said the single car crash happened on Scotts Corners Road about half a mile northwest of Jones Road in Palmyra Township at approximately 10 p.m Here is who OSHP said was in the 2024 Chevrolet Camaro: The preliminary investigation revealed Camaro was heading southeast on Scotts Corners Road when it drove off the right side of the roadway into a ditch OSHP said the Camaro then struck a utility pole The 16-year-old Palmyra boy was pronounced dead at the scene from his injuries EMS took the other three teens to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries OSHP confirmed speed appears to be a contributing factor in this crash The Ravenna Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol shut down Scotts Corners Road for about three hours to investigate OSHP listed these departments who assisted on scene: (WJFW) — A reported missing person was found dead in the town of Linwood in Portage County on Monday afternoon the Portage County Communications Center received a report of a missing person who was believed to have gone fishing near West River Drive and County Highway HH according to a Portage County news release Portage County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the area and after an extensive search The name and age of the person is not being released at this time The circumstances surrounding this person’s death is under investigation by the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and Portage County Medical Examiner’s Office but foul play is not suspected at this time If you or anyone you know is having mental health concerns or in crisis please reach out to law enforcement or a mental health professional immediately Have a story? Reach out to me at mskurzewski@wjfw.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: STEVENS POINT − Portage County is participating in a traffic safety study in 2025 which is now more visible following the installation of temporary road safety improvements Temporary improvements were installed in the city of Stevens Point the week of April 21 and will be in place until October Other temporary improvements will be installed in May and June The temporary demonstration activities are the result of a $200,000 U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All grant that will allow Portage County officials to evaluate safety enhancement techniques prior to making permanent infrastructure decisions “We encourage all residents to try these improvements and share their thoughts through our meetings surveys and stakeholder sessions to come,” Johnson said in an April 16 release “While no construction activities are planned or funded at this time your input will help us identify potential issues and guide future decisions." The goal of the grant-funded work is to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries resulting from crashes on county roadways by 2045 program staff and volunteers will also gather data and study the safety needs of vulnerable road users Two temporary protected bike lanes and one temporary curb extension were installed in Stevens Point One bike lane is on Water Street between Kwik Trip’s driveway and River View Avenue and the other is on Michigan Avenue between Dixon Street and Patch Street The curb extension is on the east leg of the intersection between Fourth Avenue and Isadore Street A temporary curb extension will be installed in May in Plover on the north leg of the intersection between Hoover Avenue and Ramble Lane/Highland Drive This improvement will be installed after the Stevens Point locations so a traffic data collection device can be borrowed from the city to measure traffic patterns both before and after installation Temporary wide edge lines and optical speed bars will be installed in June on West River Drive east of Wisconsin River Golf Club Portage County G north of Portage County M between Rudolph and Junction City and Portage County KK east of Lake Drive on the west side of Amherst Junction Wide edge lines and optical speed bars are intended to create visual cues to encourage drivers to slow down on corners and other high collision potential areas according to county’s website for the project The federal grant-funded project will ultimately produce a Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan for the county’s roads and an update to the county’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Community members are invited to participate in walking audits in May These traffic safety condition evaluations will be held in downtown Stevens Point on May 15 with a time yet to be determined May 19 and from Stevens Point Area Senior High to Madison Elementary School from 3 p.m More local news: 'Rivermen' mural to be removed in downtown Stevens Point; city seeks ideas for replacement Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@gannett.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPORTAGE COUNTY Ohio (WOIO) - The Portage County Sheriff’s Office seized an estimated 20 grams of ecstasy during a traffic stop near a school on Thursday According to a social media post from the Portage County Sheriff’s Office deputies saw a 2025 Hyundai “commit multiple lane and turn signal violations” on I-76 The Hyundai got off the highway and police conducted the traffic stop on State Route 44 near the NEO-Med facility and Rootstown Schools in Rootstown Township deputies saw a pill box with ecstasy in the driver’s pocket the suspect handed over the container and admitted the pills were his The pill box held “approximately 100 ecstasy pills.” they also found over 100 grams of a crystalline substance Deputies also found a handgun with five rounds in the magazine Deputies identified the two suspects in the vehicle as Shmar Antoine Shmar was charged with trafficking in drugs in the vicinity of a school and improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle Akili Antoine was charged with having weapons under disability improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle and identity fraud for lying to officers about his identity during the traffic stop Akili Antoine also had an active warrant through the Summit County Sheriff’s Office for abduction and strangulation Portage County inspections: One restaurant with 8 violations and five ace reports in December 2024 Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.